2023 Winnie Belle Learned Fund Recipients
The Winnie Belle Learned Fund was created in 2007 by Dr. Burnett Rawson to honor Winnie Belle Learned, a Vermont educator and his benefactress. Born in 1863 in Westford, Vermont, Ms. Learned worked through many personal hardships to earn her teaching certificate.
Ms. Learned was a teacher and school principal in Massachusetts for many years before returning in 1911 to her native Vermont. Together with a relative, Jennie Burnett, she operated Cherry Hill Farm in Williston. The farm was renowned for its beautiful flower gardens and, until her death in 1941, Ms. Learned was well-known in the greater Burlington area for making deliveries of flowers using her Model-T automobile called "Jack." All the profits from her flower business were used for charity and the Williston farm became a haven for many adults and children. Neither Ms. Learned nor Ms. Burnett ever married or had children. In 1932, during the Depression, Ms. Learned took notice of Burnett Rawson, a distant relative, and asked his mother’s permission to take him from the family farm in Underhill so that he could study. Her generosity and vision allowed him to attend the University of Vermont and the UVM medical school. After completing military service and further medical studies, Dr. Rawson practiced urology in New York for many years before retiring to his native Vermont.
Dr. Rawson contributed generously to the Winnie Belle Learned Fund during his lifetime. Upon his passing in 2014, the Rawson Family Fund was established at the Vermont Community Foundation. Annual distributions from the Rawson Family Fund support continued grants to Vermont's public libraries from the Winnie Belle Learned Fund.
The purpose of the Winnie Belle Learned Fund is to make modest (in the range of $2,500) grants to libraries in Vermont, with a preference for smaller libraries and for programs and projects that support children and diversity. Consistent with Dr. Rawson’s wishes, these grants help public libraries in Vermont foster in their local communities: literacy, a love of learning, skills and opportunities for critical analysis, and intellectual exploration. Dr. Rawson particularly wanted libraries to develop these programs and services to support these goals for children and their families, including library programs and services for pre-school children. Dr. Rawson valued the key role libraries can play in the development of young readers and appreciated that early experiences in libraries can foster a life-long love of books and learning.
2023 Grants for the Winnie Belle Learned Fund have been awarded. The following 119 libraries have received $500 grants:
Abbott Memorial Library
Ainsworth Public LIbrary
Albany Public Library
Alburgh Public Library
Alden Balch Memorial Library
Alice M. Ward Memorial Library
Arvin A Brown Public Library
Baldwin Memorial Library
Barton Public Library
Baxter Memorial Library
Bennington Free Library
Bent Northrop Memorial Library
Bent Northrop Memorial Library
Bixby Memorial Library
Blake Memorial Library
Bradford Public Library
Brandon Free Public Library
Brownell Library
Burnham Memorial Library
Cabot Public Library
Carpenter-Carse Library
Castleton Free Library
Cavendish Fletcher Community Library
Charlotte Library
Chittenden Public Library
Cobleigh Library
Craftsbury Public Library
Cutler Memorial Library
Dailey Memorial Library
Davies Memorial Library
Dorothy Alling Memorial Library
Dorset Village Public Library
Emily Mandeville-Houle
Enosburgh Public Library
Fair Haven Free Library
Fairlee Public Library
Fletcher Free Library
Fletcher Memorial Library
Franklin Grand Isle Bookmobile
George Peabody Library
Georgia Public Library
Gilbert Hart Library
Goodrich Memorial Library
Greensboro Free Library
Groton Free Public Library
Hartford Library, Inc.
Hartland Public Library
Haston Library
HF Brigham Library
Highgate Library and Community Center
Ilsley Public Library
Island Pond Public Library
Jamaica Memorial Library
Jeudevine Memorial Library
John G. McCullough Free Library
John Woodruff Simpson Memorial Library
Johnson Public Library
Jones Memorial Library
Kellogg-Hubbard Library
Kimball Public Library
Lanpher Memorial Library
Latham Memorial Library
Lawrence Memorial Library
Leach Public Library
Lincoln Library
Maclure Library
Martha Canfield Library
Middletown Springs Public Library
Moretown Memorial Library
Morristown Centennial Library
New Haven Community Library
Norman Williams Public Library
North Hero Public Library
Norwich Public Library
Orwell Free Library
Peacham Library
Pettee Memorial Library
Platt Memorial Library
Pope Memorial Library
Poultney Public Library
Putney Public Library
Quechee Library
R K Kittay Public Library
Readsboro Community Library
Rochester Public Library
Rockingham Free Public Library
Roger Clark Memorial Library
Roxbury Free Library
Russell Memorial Library
Rutland Free Library
Salisbury Free Public Library
Sherburne Memorial Library
Solomon Wright Public Library
South Burlington Public Library
South Londonderry Free Library
St. Johnsbury Athenaeum
Stamford Community Library
Starksboro Public Library
Stowe Free Library
Swanton Public Library
Tenney Memorial Library
The Brown Public Library
The Jaquith Public Library
Townshend Public Library
Varnum Memorial Library
Walden Community Library
Warren Public Library
Waterville town public library
West Hartford Library
West Rutland Free Library
Westford Public Library
Westminster West Public Library
Whiting Library
Wilder Memorial Library
William H. & Lucy F. Rand Memorial Library
Windsor Public Library
Winhall Memorial Library
Winooski Memorial Library
Woodbury Community Library
Worthen Library
Recipients are asked to report on their grant by 10/31/2023.
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