Boonville Branch Receives Major Donations

Isle of Capri and Caesars Entertainment Donations

Fundraising for the relocation of the library to the Kemper Campus took a giant step forward recently with two $10,000 donations from the Isle of Capri Casino Hotel Boonville and from Caesars Foundation. A gathering of Boonslick Regional Library (BRL) officers, trustees, staff members, and Friends of the Library officers joined the executive team from the Isle of Capri for the presentation of checks representing the generous donations. The check presentation took place at the library’s soon-to-be new home, the three-story brick building located at the main entrance to the Kemper Campus that was built in 1906 by Kemper Military School.

“These donations bring us one step closer to breathing new life into this historic building,” noted Kathryn Schuster, Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Isle of Capri. “We believe that libraries are essential to our community, providing a place for all people to learn, explore, and connect with others. They attract businesses and tourists, and they help create a more educated and engaged workforce,” she added.

Sharing information about Caesars Foundation, Jon Morten, Philanthropy Chair at the Isle of Capri, explained to the group, “Caesars Foundation is a private foundation funded by resorts owned or operated by Caesars Entertainment. It is through the Foundation the Caesars funds non-profit programs and it is dedicated to support the communities where Caesars Entertainment operates. It has an ongoing commitment to economic development while improving the quality of life for our staff, which we call Team Members, and their families, the community, and society at large. It is exciting to be involved in a significant way in the library’s move and the expansion of its programs and services.”

Mary Pat Abele, Chair of the BRL Cooper County Building and Expansion Committee, accepted the donations on behalf of the BRL Board of Trustees. “It is difficult to put into words how grateful we are for these generous contributions. It moves us past the halfway point in our fundraising and comes at the perfect time as we launch the second phase of our fundraising campaign that will complete the project. The Isle of Capri has been an anchor of support for projects that enhance our wonderful community and we appreciate them taking the lead as we head to the home stretch in our fundraising efforts,” she noted. “It is a pleasure to announce that with these significant donations, the Isle of Capri and Caesars Foundation have selected the Main Level Lounge of the library as a naming opportunity that present a unique chance for individuals, families, businesses, corporations, and organizations to play a major role in the library’s relocation by making a significant donation. “These major contributions provide the capital needed to underwrite the initial costs of the entire project and help us move forward. We are thrilled to have the Isle of Capri and Caesars Foundation join other major donors who have selected five areas of the library as naming opportunities. And, there are more areas available for future donors,” Abele added.