Posted on 09/27/2003 7:15:07 AM PDT by OXENinFLA
Fulton County donates over 50,000 surplus books
BY CANDY WAYLOCK
In the early morning hours of Sept. 10, five tractor-trailers loaded with more than 54,0000 surplus Fulton County School System textbooks pulled out of the school system`s College Park Warehouse and headed for the Savannah port. Once there, the books were shipped to Iraq to assist in that country`s efforts to rebuild its shattered education system. The 101st Airborne Division, on assignment in Northern Iraq, will receive the books and distribute them to local schools. While many school buildings are in good physical shape, there are no instruction materials to hold classes.
The donation of Fulton County`s surplus textbooks has a personal connection for Assistant Superintendent Michael Vanairsdale. Prior to his appointment in Fulton County, Vanairsdale served 26 years in the U.S. Army, retiring at the rank of lieutenant colonel. "I had two tours with the 101st Airborne Division and mentored several young officers," said Vanairsdale. "Subsequently one of my officers in June of this year assumed command of the 101st Airborne, now in Iraq."
That officer, Lt. Col. Ralph Sliwicki, sent out an e-mail in July asking for help for Iraqi schools. "He said the schools were, for the most part, in perfect shape physically, but Saddam Hussein allowed no books are instruction materials so the schools were bare," noted Vanairsdale.
Armed with the knowledge that the school system had thousands of books in surplus, Vanairsdale began working to get the donation of the local books approved by the board of education.
The donated textbooks, which cover all grade levels in English/language arts, math, science, and social studies subjects, have been replaced with newer versions and were no longer needed by the school system. If new, the books would be worth well over $1 million, but are virtually worthless as surplus. "It pleases the Board of Education to know that we can help the children of Iraq. We put students first no matter where they live," said Board of Education President Katie Reeves. "All children should be afforded the opportunity to learn. We see this donation as a way Fulton County can help Iraqi schools educate their youngest citizens so that they will grow into knowledgeable, well-rounded leaders."
Generally, surplus books are sold, at pennies on the pound, said Vanairsdale, mainly to be converted into pulp.
"We take millions of dollars worth of old books and get perhaps thousands in surplus sales," said Vanairsdale. "This was the opportunity to rebuild an education infrastructure in a country that has nothing, and give them a glimpse of our culture that they have never been exposed to before." The quick turnaround from the initial e-mail request to the books shipping out was "miraculous," said Vanairsdale. He noted that request procedures were bypassed somewhat.
"If we went through the normal chains of military command it would have been 2007 before the books shipped out," laughed Vanairsdale. In this unique instance, the direct request via e-mail to Vanairsdale cut through the red tape.
Vanairsdale ran it through the legal staff, who approved the donation as it was to another government agency, and got quick approval from the board of education. Literally, the books were on their way to Iraq within hours of the approval from the board on Sept. 9.
Members of National Guard 639th and 594th Transportation Companies from Ft. Campbell, Ky., met the school system warehouse staff early on the morning of September 10, having spent the night in the parking lot, loaded more than 100 pallets of books and took off for Savannah.
"Many of these books look brand new and are in great shape. I don`t care what side of the fence you are on [regarding the war], you can`t be against rebuilding education. Everyone wins," said Vanairsdale.
Got books taking up to much space? Donate to a good cause
http://www.booksforsoldiers.com/
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