Generosity speaks volumes; SUNY Oswego drive comes through for Bookmobile

The inaugural SUNY Oswego State Employees Federated Appeal (SEFA) children’s book drive netted 717 books for the Oswego Bookmobile.

Valued at more than $4,000, the donations will boost the popular program that supports local children ages 3 to 18. 

Nancy Concadoro of the college's Office of Human Resources and Shelly Sloan of the Dean of Students Office co-chaired the book drive, for exceptionally meaningful reasons.

“As a child, my mother was instrumental in bringing a bookmobile to our small community that didn’t have its own library,” Concadoro recalled. “An avid reader, the bookmobile provided me with opportunities to make selections from a variety of authors that I didn’t have access to.”

This opportunity “resonates deeply as I appreciate the value the Oswego Bookmobile brings to our community,” Concadoro said. “I am so pleased, but not at all surprised, with the overwhelming support we received, on campus and with our community partners, by the significant donations of books our children will be able to select and keep throughout the summer.”

For Sloan, helping lead the book drive also came from firsthand knowledge.

“My daughter has been visiting the Oswego Bookmobile since she was at the Children's Center on campus,” Sloan said. “She has looked forward to her Bookmobile visits each summer since then.”  

As a result, Sloan was thrilled to give back to a worthy local organization.

“We hope to make this a yearly event,” Sloan said. “Our campus was incredibly generous and we are so thankful!”

Campus and community members filled collection boxes on the SUNY Oswego campus, as well as at the Oswego Elks Lodge, Oswego YMCA and the River’s End Bookstore.

Participants could also order books via the River’s End Bookstore website or via Amazon to meet Bookmobile needs, or make monetary donations via SEFA’s secure online storefront.

The Oswego Bookmobile’s mission is to bring books and the gift of literacy into the lives of children. The Bookmobile visits 16 neighborhood stops regularly during the seven-week summer program, providing free books and snacks to local children.

Visit oswego.edu/sefa to learn more about the SEFA campaign and how it supports community causes.