AAUW book sale a success ‘by every measure’; organizers say ‘thanks’ 

Letter to the editor:

On September 15 and 16, AAUW Fort Atkinson Branch held its 43^rd annual book sale. The proceeds of this sale go towards scholarships for deserving local women, seeking to advance their opportunities through education. The sale was a success by every measure and, as with any event this big, there are several groups that need to be recognized for their part in the success.

First, we need to thank Jones Dairy Farm for the continued use of valuable warehouse space to collect, sort, and store thousands of books. We could not even begin to produce a book sale of this size without that kind of long-term space to work in. We also give a shout out to the Jones Dairy Farm maintenance crew, for assisting with the truck loading, and the grounds crew for setting up the many tables at the Municipal building. It is truly appreciated.

Second, Yerges Moving and Storage has provided their services for many years, for moving the many tons of books from the Jones’ facility to the municipal building and returning the unsold books back to the warehouse. We could not make this sale happen without their logistical assistance, and we sincerely thank them for their continued support.

We would also like to thank Shelly Cloute and Johns Disposal for the donation of recycling services for books that cannot be offered at the sale due to quality, or do not sell over the course of the sale. Knowing that the books are being recycled and not just ending up in a landfill is so important to our group. Thank you for your commitment to our program.

We would also like to recognize the students and teachers from the Fort Atkinson High School who worked so hard unloading and transporting boxes of books on setup day. Your positive attitude, youth, and energy were greatly appreciated. Also, we’d like to thank the friends and family of AAUW Fort Atkinson members who showed up Saturday afternoon and helped pack boxes, load the truck, fold up the tables, and generally clean things up.

While we could not hold the book sale without the efforts of these volunteers, the true heart of this book sale is our membership and their families, whose efforts throughout the spring and summer make this sale a success.

And finally, a huge thank you to the members of our community, who donated thousands of books throughout the summer, and then bought thousands last weekend. Without you there would be no sale.

Sincerely,

Kathy Marr,

AAUW book sale co-chair