GRIMES, Iowa—Black Hills Energy announced today it awarded a $25,000 donation to the Friends of Grimes Public Library to support the project to build a new library for needs of the growing community. The new library will be located at the southeast corner of James Street and Beaverbrooke Boulevard and will serve 161,000 cardholders in the Boone, Western Polk and Eastern Dallas Counties.

“It’s our honor and our continued promise to be an advocate for what makes Grimes great,” said Pete Hamell Black Hills Energy Iowa Director of Operations. “The Grimes Library is a key puzzle piece to our community’s success. They are attracting and retaining talent in Grimes, and they are building a sense of community.”

Upon completion in summer 2022, the new space will allow the Grimes Public Library the opportunity to deliver an increased variety of programming to a greater number and diversity of people. From 2015 to 2019 the Grimes Public Library saw an increase of 112% in annual visits. The Grimes Public Library has cardholders from Boone, Polk and Dallas Counties, with patrons coming from more than thirty cities. Recognizing the existing facility is no longer adequate, the new building will provide a larger collection of physical materials, study spaces, meeting rooms, greater access to computers and technology and convenient ways to obtain and return materials.

“Black Hills Energy’s support of this project will go a long way to helping us build this new resource for the community,” states Cheryl Heid, Grimes Public Library Director. “We are so grateful for the incredible support and for the shared commitment to improving the quality of life for people in the greater Grimes community.”

Black Hills Energy previously supported the Grimes Library summer reading program.

“Whether it’s the Grimes Public Library or partnering with the Grimes Chamber and Economic Development to help community members shop local, Black Hills Energy is committed to seeing Grimes succeed,” Hamell added. “Our community depends on us to deliver the energy that fuels their success. We have an obligation to be there when our community needs us.”

Left to Right: Nicole Breitbach, Black Hills Energy Sr. Community Affairs Manager; Cheryl Heid, Grimes Public Library Director; Scott Mikkelsen, City of Grimes Mayor; Ryan Netz, Black Hills Energy Operations Technician; Anne Haugland, Vice President of Grimes Public Library Board of Trustees; Pete Hamell, Black Hills Energy Iowa Director of Operations