DAVIDSON – The Davidson Library Fundraising Task Force has raised the $175,000 it needed to preserve the Davidson Branch Library, thanks to more than 1,000 donors, including a NASCAR driver.

At the final meeting of the task force Jan. 19, Task Force Chairwoman Kim Fleming announced that the task force’s fundraising campaign has raised $211,025.38 to help keep the embattled library open as part of the Pave the Way campaign. Library leaders had to raise the money after county officials threatened to close the branch last year after drastic budget cuts were implemented.

In an e-mail to task force members earlier this week, former Mayor Randy Kincaid said he was proud of the task force’s dedication to the cause. “I want to tell you what a joy it has been to participate in this project with you,” he said. “In all my years in government, I cannot recall a better group or a better effort.”

Fleming said a total of about 1,100 donors purchased about 1,000 bricks during the campaign. NASCAR driver AJ Allmendinger, who drives the number 43 car for Richard Petty Motorsports, gave an undisclosed donation and Downtown Davidson, Inc. donated nearly $2,000.

Megan Blackwell, owner of The Village Store and a DDI member, said this week that helping the library quickly became a part of the conversation on other town committees as well. When the Christmas in Davidson committee began work on this year’s commemorative ornament, she said, talk quickly turned to the town’s library and its financial situation. The group created an ornament that featured the structure at the heart of downtown Davidson’s historic Main Street. Rather than using the proceeds to benefit the holiday event, they decided to donate the money to the campaign.

“Our library was built with money donated from townspeople, and it’s at the heart of Christmas in Davidson,” said Blackwell. “The event committee liked the idea of working with the library task force to help to protect this amazing asset.”

The approximately $36,000 raised in excess of the $175,000 goal will be used in part to help fund the cost of constructing the commemorative brick patio in front of the library, made up of bricks purchased by donors. Any additional funds will be donated to the library endowment fund.