SEA, Springfield Ward 4 candidate Callee Ackland announce book drive
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from the Springfield Education Association and Callee Ackland for Springfield City Council
The Springfield Education Association and their endorsed candidate for Springfield City Council, Callee Ackland, are excited to announce a community book drive, running from Oct. 1 through Oct. 31 for National Book Month.
Their goal is to collect 1,000 new or gently used children’s books to benefit students at Springfield Public School District, where the Springfield Education Association is the union representing more than 500 certified staff members.
The community is invited to donate children’s books, ranging from baby to young adult level. Books can be dropped off at Chuck and Alice, a gift shop located at 414 Main Street in downtown Springfield, during their open hours of Tuesday through Saturday, 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sunday 11 a.m. to 4 p.m.
Donated books should be in gently used or new condition. Textbooks, magazines, and damaged items cannot be accepted.
“Literacy is the foundation of lifelong success, yet many children in our area lack access to the resources they need to thrive,” said Callee Ackland, candidate for Springfield City Council. “This book drive is a simple way for neighbors to share the joy of reading and make a direct impact right here in Springfield.”
Last year, when the Springfield City Council announced its plan to cut nearly a quarter of the public library’s funding, Ackland was a founder of the Save Springfield Library effort, which rallied Springfielders in defense of their library. That effort not only galvanized Ackland’s decision to run for office, it brought her to the attention of Springfield Education Association members.
“It’s clear that Callee Ackland will fight for Springfield educators and children,” said Brandon Ferguson, president of Springfield Education Association. “Time and again, Callee has proven herself to be a champion of better opportunities for our youth.”
“I’m proud to be a partner of the Springfield Education Association and I appreciate the opportunity to use this platform to give back to the community,” said Ackland. “Like their slogan says, we must be ‘united together to better serve the children of Springfield’, and I look forward to continuing this work to build a brighter future for us all.”
For more information about drop-off guidelines, volunteer opportunities, or to arrange a large business drop-off, please contact the Callee Ackland campaign at callee4springfield@gmail.com.
The Springfield Education Association (SEA) is comprised of the talented certified staff of Springfield School District. It has more than 500 members, including classroom teachers, specialists, counselors, speech-pathologists, school psychologists, and nurses. Founded in 1972, SEA’s primary goal is to ensure that educators’ voices are heard and the children of Springfield are better served.
Callee Ackland is running for the Ward 4 seat on Springfield City Council this November. Ackland works as a tenant support specialist at the Springfield Eugene Tenant Association, where she helps local tenants understand their rights and responsibilities under state and local laws. She also serves on the Springfield Planning Commission, along with working as an on-call library assistant for the Springfield Public Library. Ackland previously served four years in the U.S. Navy as a cryptologic technician.
