Moses Lake library supporter memorialized with plaque
Eugene Harwood, center, holds a plaque honoring his late wife Alice Harwood at the Moses Lake Public Library Friday. He is shown with his daughters Debbie Robel, left, and Janice Timm, right.
MOSES LAKE - Those who knew Alice Harwood knew how important the public library was to her.
A longtime Moses Lake resident, Harwood spent a lot of time there over the years, often bringing her family with her.
"We always went to the library with mom," Janice Timm, one of Harwood's two daughters, said. "I even remember going to the original library with her." The current library building, on the corner of South Pioneer Way and Fifth Avenue, wasn't completed until 1964.
But Harwood was more than just a patron at the Moses Lake library.
Her passion for the library, and for reading, led to her involvement with the North Central Regional Library later in her life. She represented the Moses Lake district during two six-year terms, from 1970 to 1982, on NCRL's Board of Trustees.
Harwood died in February 2013 at the age of 94, but her commitment to improving the library will continue. Harwood's husband, Eugene Harwood, recently made a $10,000 donation in her name to the Moses Lake Public Library Foundation.
To date, it is the largest individual donation the foundation has received, President Tim Fuhrman said. The funds will go to foundation projects, including the library expansion and the replacement of the library's shelving.
The foundation decided to commemorate Harwood and her dedication to the library by placing an engraved plaque inside the library. Some of Harwood's family members and close friends were present to watch as the plaque went up on the wall Friday.
Timm said seeing her mother's name and image on the wall was a happy moment for them.
"Reading was such a big part of her life, and she just loved this place," Timm said. "She would be very proud."
Fuhrman said the plaque is the foundation's way of honoring Harwood's life, as she contributed not only to the library but the city as well.
"Mrs. Harwood, an avid reader, not only sat on the NCRL board, but served her community in other ways," he said.
Harwood first moved to Moses Lake in 1949. In addition to her work with the library, she was also superintendent of the Arts and Crafts building at the Grant County Fair for many years.
She was also a member of Eastern Star and the O'Sullivan Grange.
Moses Lake Mayor Dick Deane was present for the hanging of the plaque. He said the donation made in Harwood's name to the library is a big deal.
"The library is the heart of the community," he said. "This gift to the library is not just a gift to the library, but a gift to the entire Columbia Basin."