The Greensburg- Decatur County Public Library proudly held a ribbon cutting on July 29, 2025, for the Sally Crane Memorial Story Walk. The story walk begins at the head of the trail at Rebekah Park, and it ends near the library.
Sally’s career was teaching high school English. Over the course of more than twenty years, she taught at Sandusky, Clarksburg, and North Decatur High Schools. A passionate reader, Sally also was a board member of the Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library during the campaign to build its current facility.
Following her passing, Sally’s estate generously donated funds to the library for a special project. From the beginning, a StoryWalk had been envisioned. However, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and a major library remodel in 2023 and 2024, the project was delayed. When the Next Level Trails initiative emerged, Vanessa Martin, Executive Director of the Greensburg-Decatur County Public Library, recognized it as the perfect opportunity to bring the StoryWalk to life.
At the ribbon-cutting ceremony, members of the Crane family attended, and Sally’s daughter, Katie Matson, shared heartfelt words about her mother’s love of both reading and walking—making the StoryWalk a fitting tribute to her legacy.
The featured books along the trail are made possible by the Fred & Joyce Springmier Charitable Trust, and the library plans to rotate the stories every 4–6 weeks to keep the experience fresh and engaging.
Mayor Joshua Marsh expressed his enthusiastic support for the StoryWalk project from its inception and offered gratitude to the library staff, library board, and the Crane family for bringing it to fruition. Dr. John A. Shafer, one of Sally’s former students, also spoke at the event. He recalled the encouragement and support he received from Sally, crediting her with helping him secure a full college scholarship, guiding his family through the FAFSA process, and ultimately inspiring him to pursue his doctorate.
