Looking for a family friendly place to spend quality time? Perhaps you are looking for resources to assist with your job search? Have you visited your local library lately? The Denton County Libraries are busier than ever during these challenging times! Families are borrowing books and DVDs instead of buying them, the unemployed search and apply for jobs utilizing the library’s computer and broadband, and parents are taking their children to libraries for recreation. But as municipalities must look for ways to cut spending, the libraries are unfortunately one of the targets.
Most recently and closest to home, funding for Denton County public libraries was cut for next year by 5%, at a time when the use and needs of the libraries continue to rise. POINTBank, a local community bank, has made the Denton County Library System its major philanthropic focus, and is committed to raising funds to maintain and grow library resources and services, and impact library-based literacy programs.
POINTBank has supported the Denton County libraries for over 20 years. Raymond David, the bank’s CEO states, “We believe strongly that libraries serve a critical role in fostering a prosperous, successful and healthy future for the local communities.” As their major fundraising effort, POINTBank hosts an annual charity golf tournament benefiting literacy and the Denton County Libraries.
Donations from the event have contributed to building expansion and improvements, technology, books, job search tools for unemployed citizens, reading programs for children, and child education and development, just to name a few.
“The Denton Public Libraries used the grant from PointBank to fund the Summer Reading Club Program, with approximately 4,582 people benefiting through the program this year”, stated Eva Poole, Director of Libraries for the City of Denton.
This year, in celebration of the event’s 20th Anniversary, it is being held at The Cowboys Golf Club, a premier resort-style, daily fee course and the world’s first NFL-themed golf course, in Grapevine on Saturday, September 18th. The format is a 4-person scramble with a shotgun start at 8:00 a.m. The player fee of $150 or $500 per team includes a full hot breakfast, round of golf with cart, and unlimited non-alcoholic beverages and food on the course. After the tournament, each player will receive a commemorative team photo and attend a celebratory luncheon where cash prizes will be awarded. “You can’t even play at the Cowboys Golf Club for $150”, said Deke Alexander, coordinator of the tournament, “when you add all the extras, this package is worth over $200 plus it goes to a very worthy cause”.
Ray David, POINTBank President, expresses the importance of this effort. “This year it is even more imperative that we raise as much as possible to assist the libraries in providing the services and resources to which the citizens of our community have grown accustomed.”
To help the libraries and POINTBank celebrate 20 years of fundraising efforts, to learn more about the tournament, or to register as a player or sponsor, please call Milly French at 940-686-7000 or visit www.POINTBank.com
