When Southwestern Michigan College replaced the large table and chairs at the Fred L. Mathews Library as part of a renovation project this summer, the college didn’t have to look very far for a new home for the furniture.

The City of Dowagiac, which recently received a grant from St. Denys Foundation to add a room onto the Wolf Street fire station, needed to furnish the training room that will be used as the city’s emergency operation center.

The college stepped up and donated the furniture to the project.

“The college is so glad, as a tax-supported entity, to be able to donate the items to another tax-supported entity,” said SMC President Dr. David Mathews. “We could sell the furniture for whatever it is worth, which would be pennies on the dollar, or we could give it to the public safety department. The city’s police and fire personnel already do so much for the college; there really was no question about what to do.”

In addition, to several large tables and chairs, the city also received a very large map cabinet, which the city will use to store oversized documents at City Hall, Dowagiac Public Safety Director Tom Atkinson said.

“We didn’t get any extra money from the grant for furniture,” Atkinson said. “This is the second time SMC has been able to provide us with furniture. With limited resources, this makes a huge difference for us.”

The college also donated several pieces of furniture from the library renovation to Dowagiac District Library.

The college’s renovation project in Mathews Library will include new paint and carpet as well as furniture.

The college will consolidate its two Teaching and Learning Centers on the Dowagiac campus to one location in the library, expanding Learning Center services which include free tutoring, writing and math assistance to SMC students.