PUD Book Sale Starts April 1

March 25, 2010

Columbia River PUD's annual book sale will be held April 1-30 at the PUD office in Deer Island. The sale is the PUD's most popular fund raiser for the Neighbor's GLOW Fund, which provides bill payment assistance to low-income PUD customers.

Books will be available for purchase during the PUD's business hours of 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Monday through Friday. Cost is $2 for hardbound, $1 for soft cover, and 50¢ for children's or small paperbacks.

Customers wishing to donate books to the sale can deliver them to the PUD office. The PUD can't accept donated textbooks, magazines or reference manuals. All donations are tax deductible.

The GLOW fund provides up to $100 per year in emergency assistance to low-income PUD customers who have become delinquent in paying their power bills and are scheduled to have their power disconnected.

The GLOW program has already provided $32,200 in assistance to customers in 2010. 

"The need in this community is greater than ever," said PUD Customer Accounts Supervisor Susie Schwirse. "Every day we talk to customers who are juggling their finances in order to pay their utility bills."

The GLOW fund is maintained through voluntary contributions from PUD customers and employee fund raisers. All the money raised for GLOW stays in Columbia County and is used to help PUD customers.

PUD employees are hoping to raise an additional $35,000 for the program this year.