[caption id="attachment_22199" align="alignright" width="300"]<a href="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/COMMUNITY-Clover-Club.jpg"><img class="size-medium wp-image-22199" src="http://www.yourislandnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/COMMUNITY-Clover-Club-300x225.jpg" alt="From left to right: Jan O’Rourke (Interim Director Beaufort County Library System), Paula Elliott (Clover Club member), Sharon Sanders (Clover Club member), Marilyn Harcharik (President, Friends of the Beaufort County Library), Betsy Kinghorn (Clover Club member), and Annette Greenway (Branch Manager, Scott Street Library). Paula, Sharon and Betsy are Clover members." width="300" height="225" /></a> From left to right: Jan O’Rourke (Interim Director Beaufort County Library System), Paula Elliott (Clover Club member), Sharon Sanders (Clover Club member), Marilyn Harcharik (President, Friends of the Beaufort County Library), Betsy Kinghorn (Clover Club member), and Annette Greenway (Branch Manager, Scott Street Library). Paula, Sharon and Betsy are Clover members.[/caption]

The Clover Club, a local women’s group, in celebration of their 125th Anniversary, has kicked off the Library Renovation Project with a donation of $1,600. The Scott Street Library Renovation Fund will replace worn carpet, paint several areas, and purchase new furnishings for the downtown Beaufort Library is sponsored by the Friends of the Beaufort Library. The Clover Club, founded in 1891 by Mrs. Mary Waterhouse, Mrs. Grace Bristol, Mrs. Julia Pollitzer, and Mrs. Mabel Danner for the pursuit and study of literature and music founded the Beaufort circulating library in 1902, the first since Union troops confiscated the collection of the Beaufort Library Society in 1861. The Club began a fund-raising project for a permanent library building in 1911, and when the Beaufort Township Library was built seven years later, it donated a nucleus of 2000 books. Throughout its history, Clover Club has ardently supported the library.

Anyone interested in donating to this much needed project may do so by sending funds to the Friends of the Library. Please note on the memo line of the check “Scott Street Renovation” and mail to Beaufort Library, 311 Scott Street, Beaufort, SC 29902, attention Marilyn Harcharik. These funds will only be used for the refurbishing of the Beaufort downtown library, which will be the site of Clover Club’s tea celebrating 125 years and honoring the library employees later this year.