Youth attending Fall 2022 programming at the Lakes Country Public Library in Lakewood show off their artistic creations. Image Courtesy Lakes Country Public Library.

January 27, 2023 – Staff at the Lakes Country Public Library in Lakewood, Wisconsin are staying busy making their library a safe place where older children and teens can make friends, have fun, socialize and de-stress.

Thanks in part to a recent grant from the Basic Needs Giving Partnership of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, the Lakes Country Public Library will soon expand its building with a dedicated Teen Zone. The plan is to break ground in spring. Library Director Katie Esserman is anxious to see the new space come to fruition.

“Unfortunately, there isn’t much here in northern Oconto County for older kids to do,” said Esserman. “We are already busy implementing a plan to temporarily repurpose library space to provide special programming for them.”

When applying for the grant, library staff pointed out that a certain amount of isolation is an expected part of life in a rural community, but the COVID-19 pandemic made it that much harder for youth to socialize. Since there is no dedicated school in Lakewood, students must attend in four different districts, and many more are home schooled. Two of the library’s own summer interns – both juniors in high school – live less than three miles apart but had never met. They have since forged a friendship that has continued to expand their social networks as each one’s friends also became part of their circle.

“It’s critical that youth feel they have a place in the community that’s meant for them, where they belong,” said Kari Olsen, Director of Grants & Scholarship Programming at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. “Community-led solutions, like the Lakes Country Public Library project, will do just that.”

In addition to adding dedicated space for youth, the library will also expand its programming with activities organized specifically for older children and teens. In an effort to give youth the programs they want and need, the library has planned to put together a “Teen Zone Advisory Board” composed of tween and teen representatives from the four communities that own and operate the library, which will meet quarterly to plan, implement and evaluate the library’s efforts.

Deb Markusen, a Library Board Trustee representing the town of Doty, gratefully accepted the grant on behalf of parents who have been asking for more library services geared to the unique needs of older kids. “We want to express our deep appreciation to the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation for giving us the funding that will pay great dividends in the lives of our youth now and far into the future. Their continuing support has been outstanding.”

This is the second recent grant the library has received through the Foundation. A previous grant through Funds for Greater Green Bay resulted in the addition of a dedicated Children’s Librarian.

“That initiative has been very successful,” said Lakewood Trustee Lori Repinski. “We are thrilled that Greater Green Bay Community Foundation has helped us make the Teen Zone happen.”

Children’s Librarian Kathy VanLaanan reads a book at Lakes Country Public Library’s weekly Story Time. Image Courtesy Lakes Country Public Library.

In the last fiscal year, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation granted more than $500,000 to impact nonprofit programs in Oconto and Kewaunee counties and other rural communities. Olsen says the Foundation is committed to making sure communities throughout the area the Foundation serves find support.

“Leaders of rural communities and nonprofit organizations know what gaps exist in services and how they can create an impact,” said Olsen. “We’re proud to have strong nonprofit partners in every corner of Brown, Oconto and Kewaunee counties.”

If you know of a nonprofit serving Brown, Oconto, or Kewaunee County that would like to apply for grant funding, reach out to the Foundation’s Community Impact Team at [email protected] or visit ggbcf.org/nonprofits for more information about available grants programs.

To learn more about Lakes Country Public Library and its expansion plans, visit lakescountrypubliclibrary.org.