Two local organizations recently received a generous donation in support of their work.

The Raymond Dillard Estate recently gave a total of $279,789.28 to both the Jefferson Public Library and the Greene County Middle School Library.  Dillard taught seventh grade literature for 38 years in Jefferson. After he retired in 1989, he moved to Des Moines and continued to support students by volunteering at an elementary school and helped them read. He passed away in 2015 in Panora. Jefferson Library Director Jane Millard says the gift was perfect timing with this year’s summer reading program theme.

“The theme for our reading programs this year has been ‘Build a Better World’ and I can’t think of a more appropriate theme for the year in which Mr. Dillard’s generous gift has been received. He has given us the opportunity to build a better library for the benefit of the children and families who use it.”

The library trustees will get to decide how to use the money in the children’s department. Both organizations were presented with a check earlier this week. The Jefferson Library received $139,894.76 and the middle school library received $139,894.52.