Mid-Columbia Libraries (MCL) invites readers of all ages to read beyond the beaten path! The annual Summer Reading Challenge begins today, and participants can read or listen for 15 hours before Aug. 19 to complete the challenge and be entered to win a prize.

Registration and details are at midcolumbialibraries.org/reading-challenges. Participants can use the Beanstack app to log their reading and engage in activities to earn badges and be eligible for prizes. Or, participants can pick up a challenge log in person at their local MCL branch. Those who register by July 1 will be entered to win a prize pack of fun board games.
Kids ages 12 and under who finish the challenge receive a free book; and teens and adults get a book bag, while supplies last. All finishers will be entered to win grand prizes like a hoverboard or bike. All prizes are provided by Friends of Mid-Columbia Libraries.

MCL hosts a variety of fun and engaging programs throughout the summer. June events include the Summer Reading Challenge Kickoff Party on June 15 at 2 pm at the Keewaydin Park library and Glow Hike on Badger Mountain on Friday, June 24 at 8:30 pm. Reptile Man and children’s music concerts take place later in the summer. Information about weekly and special events can be found at midcolumbialibraries.org/calendar and on Facebook.

Through Yakama Cares and the Community Impact Fund, Legends Casino Hotel will distribute $1,063,645 to nonprofit organizations supporting our community today. The Yakama Cares program selected 144 nonprofits to share $525,872 while larger grants supporting law enforcement, healthcare, and our municipalities were awarded through the Community Impact Fund.

Yakama Cares, an annual event, donates funds to create positive impacts in the communities we serve, and it is funded through the Charitable Contribution fund. Non-profit organizations submit their applications annually between January 1 and March 31. The impacts of these grants will be felt throughout Central Washington including Yakima, Benton, Kittitas, and Klickitat counties. The committee for the Charitable Contribution fund received 274 applications to evaluate for the 2022 distribution. The applications undergo multiple rounds of cuts before the final selection. The committee bases part of their selection on the areas of need in the community.

The organizations receiving a distribution comprise many communities, and this year, grants awarded range from $1,000 to $30,000 per recipient. Grants include hospice care, fire department support, veteran service animals, materials to support education, support for food banks and more. Close to 50% of the funding supports fire departments and schools in our community.

The Community Impact Fund seeks to aid larger projects that benefit the community as a whole. This fund is administered by an independent committee including representatives of Toppenish or Wapato, Yakima, the state gaming commission, the Yakama gaming commission, and Yakama Tribal Council. For 2022, $527,773 has been designated in amounts from just over $18,000 for a drone to more than $132,000 for a fire truck. Recipients include fire and police departments for both the Cities of Toppenish and Wapato, Yakima County Sheriff’s Office, Yakima County Fire Protection District No.5, and Yakama Nation service providers such as White Swan Ambulance, Tribal School, Justice Services, and more.