After a long night of violent protests in St. Louis, the last thing Missouri could expect in its neighborhood was an open library.
It was really a tough decision for the Ferguson Municipal Public Library’s one and only full time employee Scott Bonner to open up the library in a riot-hit area. He however went ahead with his guts, only to mark his protest in a peaceful manner while providing a safe and nurturing educational place for children when the schools were closed.
This was the moment when Ferguson actually grabbed the attention of the entire world, where a simple and kind act outshined rage and violence. While recollecting his experience with the NBC News, Bonner spoke about his uncertainties before opening the library, and how he eventually overtook them. “I think that when there’s all these negative stories, seeing a story where a community comes together unified behind a common cause,” he said. “It makes people remember that, you know, we’re all human beings and we’re in this together.”
As the story continues to circulate, people – mostly readers and writers – from different parts of the world are stepping up to help the Ferguson Public Library. In this instance, Bitcoin payment processing company BitPay has also extended a helping hand, as the library accepts donations in Bitcoin as well. Meanwhile, the company has reached out to the Bitcoin community to show their support for the cause, a request which is being met with a positive response.
“We have the chance to really show what BTC is all about here,” one Bitcoin user said. “They [Ferguson Library] are also working with the state to help businesses recover with lost documentation / paperwork and get back on their feet. They have some money in their ChangeTip account they need to collect too.”
If you would like to support the cause, you can make donations by clicking here.