Lewis Companies will be donating $5 million to new library

Article Date: April 5, 2007

By Russell Ingold, Fontana Herald News

On a night in which the construction of the Fontana Library and Technology Center was a major topic of interest, the Lewis Companies made a huge announcement regarding the new downtown library. 

Lewis Companies has committed $5 million toward the library capital campaign, said Randall Lewis, representing the family which has been heavily involved in homebuilding in Fontana and throughout the Inland Empire. 

As a result of the donation, the library will now be known as the Lewis Library and Technology Center, said Mayor Mark Nuaimi during the Mayor's Gala on March 31. The gala itself served as a fundraiser for the library. 

"We know how important the library is to the future of the city of Fontana, and we're glad to be a part of it," Lewis said. 

In addition to the public funding Fontana has received for the library (which is expected to be completed by early 2008), city leaders have been seeking $20 million in private funds to help boost the effort. The donation by the Lewis Companies will now put the fundraising total at $15 million. 

"Libraries play an important role for communities, and we think this library will be especially important for Fontana," Lewis said. "It's in the center of the city where everyone can get to it. I think people will be surprised by the libraries of the future and how much they can impact people's lives."   

Lewis said his family has been involved in the local community for more than half a century. 

"My grandparents moved to Fontana and opened a store on Sierra Avenue more than 50 years ago," he said. "We've been building houses in Fontana for more than 40 years." 

After creating the Sierra Lakes housing development and golf course in northern Fontana in the 1990s, the Lewis Companies began work on two more developments, Shady Trails and Citrus Heights North. 

"Now we're working on two brand new ones -- Valley Trails and the Arboretum -- that will be among the best in the Inland Empire," Lewis said. "We're heavily involved in the city, and we hope to be doing work here for decades to come." 

Nuaimi praised the Lewis family for its contribution to the library. 

"Lewis Companies shares our vision for a healthy and prosperous community -- and I mean that in every sense of the word," Nuaimi said. "From the development of master planned communities designed to bring families and neighbors together, to their investment in the Healthy Fontana program, Randall and David Lewis believe in making Fontana a better place to live." 

Also during the Mayor's Gala, Nuaimi applauded Reggie King and Young Homes for its $1.5 million contribution to the library. The donation will go toward the creation of a Steelworker Hall in honor of the working men and women who helped build the city. 

"Young Homes is a valued partner in improving the quality of life in Fontana," Nuaimi said. "Their efforts to recognize the past while building for the future are appreciated." 

In addition, California Speedway made a $25,000 donation to the library. 

By purchasing tickets for the sold-out Mayor's Gala (and by participating in the silent auction at the event), the 600 attendees helped raise additional funds for the library. 

Susanne Nuaimi, the mayor's wife, coordinated the Mayor's Gala for the fifth straight year, and she was elated that attendance has continued to grow (up from 218 in the first year, 2003). 

"I'm very honored and blessed that so many people want to come back and support this," Susanne Nuaimi said. 

Annamarie Baker, a member of the Mayor's Gala Committee, said there were many "wonderful people" who helped the event become a success. 

"It takes a lot of people and a lot of time, but we love doing this," she said. 

Steve Kakuska, a member of the Fontana Parks and Recreation Commission, said the Mayor's gala is "a great event for a good cause. The more money we can make off this event, the better off the city's going to be."