Decatur, Illinois, May 16th, 2023 –Land of Lincoln Credit Union (LLCU) donated $10,000 to the Nokomis Public Library last week on Monday [May 8th]. The donation was made in effort to support costs of the building renovation project. The Nokomis Public Library is currently renovating the Nokomis Masonic Lodge and are set to open the newly renovated 4800-square-foot location later this summer.
This donation comes on the heels of Land of Lincoln Credit Union announcing they are set to acquire the Nokomis Savings Bank [NSB] later this year, pending regulatory approval.
“One of our top priorities at LLCU is to give back to our communities,” stated LLCU President & CEO, Robert Ares. “This donation to the Nokomis Public Library is just the beginning of our investments in Nokomis. The transition of NSB to LLCU will bring our great products and services to Nokomis, but most importantly, it will also bring our dedication to investing in projects and community initiatives that are important to the people of Nokomis.”
The $10,000 donation came about after current Nokomis Savings Bank President, Charles O’Malley, shared with LLCU President Robert Ares that the library was hoping to open in July, but additional fundraising was needed. The building renovation project began through a modest Secretary of State and State Librarian seed grant, but the remaining costs were left to fundraising efforts and/or donors.
“This donation has been a wonderful surprise and we are very thankful for the generosity of Land of Lincoln Credit Union,” stated Chris Ukena, Nokomis Public Library Board Trustee. “Not surprisingly, while renovating an older building, we’ve encountered a few surprise expenses, so this unexpected donation is a blessing and will help bridge the budget gap, helping us to stay on schedule for opening.”
[PHOTOGRAPHED from left to right: Brenda Hill (NSB Loan Processor), Lucy Slightom (LLCU Branch Manager), Lisa Billingsley (Library Trustee), Robert Ares, (LLCU President & CEO), Lisa Casterline (Library Director-in-Training), Cynthia Crowe (Library Trustee), Charles O’Malley (NSB President & CEO), Debra Lehman (Library Director), Chris Ukena, (Library Trustee), Lacey Saunders (NSB Teller), Kathy Marinangel (NSB Advisor), Kaelynn Carlock (NSB Teller), Allison Maretti (Library Trustee), Judy Ruppert (Library Trustee), Brenda Matthews (Library Trustee)]
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Land of Lincoln Credit Union was founded in 1947. As a full-service financial institution, LLCU serves nearly 35,000 members. Membership in LLCU is open to anyone who lives or works in 27 Illinois counties and their immediate family members. Land of Lincoln Credit Union offers 13 convenient locations in 8 cities to best serve the needs of its membership. As a part of the CO-OP shared branching network, members also have access to over 5,000 branches and 30,000 ATM locations nationwide. For more information, visit us online at llcu.org.