Straker Charitable Foundation Donates $2 Million to MCLS

ZANESVILLE, OH – The J.W. and M.H Straker Charitable Foundation made a generous donation to a beloved institution.

The Straker Foundation donated $2m  to the Muskingum County Library System to help with the ongoing renovations to the John McIntire Library.

Stacey Russell, MCLS’s Executive Director, said this renovation project wouldn’t be what it is today without the support they’ve received from the Straker Foundation.

“We’re very excited, our lower level, which is for all intents and purposes dedicated to the children of our community. That will be what this donation pays for so we’re very excited about that,” Russell said. “Part of what their $2 Million donation will pay for is our children’s area, which is starting to take shape. You can see the storytelling wall behind us which will have cubbies and portholes into the storytelling rooms so that people can see in, kids can climb into a cubby and read a book or a magazine or look at something, so we’re very excited about it .”

Susan Holdren, the President and Executive Director of the Straker Foundation, said the library is like a second home to her.

She talked about the impact the library made on her as well as her siblings when they were kids.

“My mother was on the library board and she started bringing my siblings and me to the library before we could barely even talk, let alone read,” Holdren said. “We have always come to the library, we love the library, and it’s just one of our most very favorite places to be.”

Another new addition to check out once the John McIntire Library reopens are the children statues. Holdren said years ago her mother had the 4 statues commissioned to look like each of her children with their favorite book. A new plaque has been placed outside in front of the statues to commemorate Mary Helen Straker’s passion for the Library.