News : Faces of Benton County Nominee: ANGELA DAGUE

MEET ANGELA DAGUE-a Garrison resident working to create nurturing environments for kids through her work as Garrison's public library director.

Angela is the twelfth nomination to the Family Nurturing Council's Faces of Benton County campaign. Angela was nominated by Benton-Iowa Community Partnership for Protecting Children.

"I have so much more I want to do," Angela said when asked about all she's accomplished since becoming the Garrison Public Library director in 2014.

"If a grant comes across my desk, I try for it."

In the years following the devastating July 11, 2011 derecho/severe windstorm that destroyed the Garrison library, library services in the town of 360 have been experiencing a revival-a new library was built and finished in 2013/2014.

Without a public school building in town, the library has become a community hub with Angela at the helm and a supportive, active library board by her side.

"I consider myself an educator," Angela said. "Most of my job is working with kids…but a lot of it is also promoting the library's resources, networking with others, and getting things in for the community."

"And if I want something, I'm going to find a way to get it for free."

Angela's after-school programs serve anywhere from 10 to 16 children at a time, she said; most of the participants arrive at the library straight off the school bus-both rural and town residents.

Grants helped Angela purchase an art cart for her Tinker Time/maker space which takes place on Thursdays.

"They love the art cart…I want them to have opportunities that they might not get otherwise."

The library also hosts a Lego Club every Monday after school and soon will restart Tot Time. With spring just around the corner, the library's youth garden will certainly come to life again-there are even plans to incorporate a seed-lending library this year.

A new venture Angela is undertaking in 2020 is to bring health and wellness resources to the community. She recently received a $1000 grant to purchase medical, health, and cooking books. And she has plans for health providers to visit the library for short sessions on managing different concerns such as diabetes.

"Everything in here," Angela said while gesturing around the library's main room, "is what I envisioned. But there's more out there. More connections to make."

In a rural town like Garrison, a community library can be valuable infrastructure and Angela puts a lot of effort into creating community through both programming and services.

Thank you, Angela, for being an everyday hero

and a force for good in our community!