The Season of Giving Continues with the Ashland Tool Library
Gwen Akers
The Ashland Beacon
Just as the holiday season comes to an end, as we take down our Christmas trees and roll up our porch lights, the holiday sense of giving continues into this new year through the Ashland Tool Library.
What began as an idea of Shannon Hill, who used to build houses, has since sprawled into what we know today as the Ashland Tool Library. Run out of Hill’s garage with the help of volunteers, the library loans out tools and equipment to anyone in the area, and has been for seven years now.
Recently, Hill has also begun posting “how to use” videos on his Facebook page and has since expanded to serving people across Boyd County, Greenup County and many more.
“I had somebody ask to borrow some stuff, and we let them borrow some stuff. A couple of weeks later, they brought it back and I thought, ‘Well, I'm just gonna start letting everybody borrow!’ I started the tool library, May 1, 2017,” explained Hill.
This year, the tool library sought to expand its horizons, especially when someone asked if the library had ever donated any artificial Christmas trees. This request led to Hill asking his Facebook community for help, and soon enough eight artificial Christmas trees ended up on Hill’s porch.
That means that this year alone, eight different families were able to have Christmas trees in their homes, that otherwise would have done without.
“If Ashland has a Santa Claus, it would be Shannon,” exclaimed April Koepf, head volunteer at the Tool Library.
Koepf is in charge of coordinating appointments and return/pick-up times for the library and has seen the impact this project has had on the community. Koepf has loved her time with the Tool Library and especially enjoys the visible positive impact it has made.
“It’s good because you see everybody from all walks of life borrow,” continued Koepf, as the library seeks to serve everyone in the surrounding area.
According to her records, the Tool Library has kept 1,141 appointments this year alone, and since 2017 has loaned over 6,147 tools, saving community members over $100,000 in rental fees.
“We're always looking for another way to benefit the community,” commented Hill about the project.
Hill has already begun accepting donations for next year’s Christmas tree drive and is looking forward to being able to grow this program to help as many families as he can.
“To me, it's all about setting an example to other people, to spread kindness. We need people taking care of people,” detailed Hill about the Tool Library and his own personal mission.
From lawnmowers to weed eaters and even Christmas trees, the Ashland Tool Library began as an idea that has since blossomed into a haven of neighborly kindness that has helped so many. The tool library is currently looking for more volunteers and is always accepting donations. If you are interested or want to borrow, you can find the Ashland Tool Library on Facebook.