WICOMICO COUNTY, Md. -- Through the Franklin P. and Arthur W. Perdue Foundation, the Perdue family has donated $1 million to the Friends Foundation of Wicomico Public Library capital campaign. The money will help kick-start renovations at the library's new location: the old Ward Museum.
It was the last piece of a roughly $4 million puzzle.
"The incredible achievement of this is that, that puts us over the top for the cost of renovation and that allows us to move ahead on the renovations," said Marty Neat, Board Chair of the Friends Foundation of Wicomico Public Library.
The donation was officially announced at the old Ward Museum on Wednesday afternoon. After a quick introduction from Seth Hershberger, Executive Director of Wicomico Public Library, Jim Perdue, Perdue Farms Chairman, took center stage at the podium.
"This gift is more than a donation, it's a continuation of a deeply personal family legacy," said Perdue.
Perdue said in the 80s and 90s, his grandfather, the founder of Perdue Farms, Arthur Perdue, would donate $12,000 each year to libraries across the lower shore.
"He was the first Perdue to actually go beyond high school in education," said Perdue. "So, I think it was important to him and that legacy is continued and we think that this is a great contribution to the community."
The renovation work, now possible through countless donations, including the Perdue's, will include transforming the museum’s lobby and exhibit spaces, among other areas.
"We want the library to be a space where they[neighbors] can go and spend time, just be together with their community to really exalt in what's great about the communities," said Hershberger. "The architecture would represent that, the landscape around would reflect what we all love about our community and this is just perfect for that."
In total, altering the museum's old bones will cost $11.2 million, according to Hershberger. Wednesday's gift from the Perdue Foundation chips away at that, ensuring that construction remains on schedule and the new library can open its doors by the summer of 2027.