A new chapter in McCutchenville

MCCUTCHENVILLE — A newly installed book hutch is nearly complete and open to the public in McCutchenville, thanks to the efforts of a recently formed nonprofit and the generosity of community members. The location can house approximately 50 books at a time, with different genres and a children's section. Beautify McCutchenville Co-founder Shannon Klepper shared that the project is a huge step for a place such as McCutchenville, noting that due to its population it is classified as a Census Designated Place — not a village. "Everything here is privately owned, so finding a spot for something like this can be a real challenge," Klepper said. "We don't have any communal property or a governing body to turn to for help, so we have to get creative." She expressed gratitude to property owner Josh Dariano, who allowed the hutch to be placed on his vacant lot next to the post office. "That location really is the heart of McCutchenville, and having his support made this project possible," Klepper said. The hutch was funded in part by a donation from Mr. Kern, whose gift honored his late wife Elaine, a longtime educator. Additional donations, along with contributions from Klepper and her family, were used to purchase all-new hardback books for the hutch. Klepper co-founded Beautify McCutchenville in 2021 with her daughter, after years of visiting the post office next door for their equestrian apparel business. Over time, she began to see both the challenges and the potential of the small community. "It may be a small structure, but we believe even the smallest gesture can help get the ball rolling toward a brighter future," she said. "The support from people here has been incredible — even for something as small as a book hutch." Since its founding, Beautify McCutchenville has completed projects such as planting flowers, adding flagpoles and flags, and placing benches in the lot. The group has plans to continue improving the CDP as it grows.