South Valley Area
Lane, Linn, and Benton Counties
The SMART Reading South Valley Area team implements SMART Reading and raises funds to support SMART Reading in Benton, Linn and Lane Counties located in the Willamette Valley. In the 2022-23 school year, we served 2,069 PreK through third-grade students and gave away 21,888 books. We are focused on recruiting more volunteers and establishing strong financial support among our communities to ensure we can continue the important work of empowering local children through reading.
Volunteer Opportunities:
Volunteers are a vital part of our mission. We can’t provide reading support and books to local kids without YOU! To find a list of SMART Reading sites near you, click here (or call 541-600-8035)
Local Staff:
 Laurie McNichols |
 Elisa G. |
 Tanja Petal |
 Ashli Quintela |
Click here to read SMART Reading South Valley’s Local Newsletter.
Click here to read SMART Reading South Valley’s Year-end Report.
Book Bank Wishlist
We’re in the process of setting up a Book Bank in the South Valley area to expand our efforts to ensure kids in our community have access to books of their own. As this moves forward, we are discovering additional needs. Before we make purchases, we’d love to know if you have any of the items listed below that you would like to pass along.
Wishlist: Sturdy wood bookcases, large wire shelving units, carts on wheels, heavy duty banker’s boxes.
In the near future, we will also need volunteers to review donated books, sort the books into categories, and prepare them for distribution. Please contact Laurie McNichols at LMcNichols@smartreading.org if you have items to donate or are interested in volunteering.
Business Partners:
SMART Reading Business Partners are local businesses that support SMART Reading through financial contributions and employee volunteerism. For a list of our South Valley Business Partners, click here ›
Supporting Organizations:
- Benton County Cultural Coalition
- Corvallis Kiwanis Sunrisers
- Cow Creek Umpqua Foundation
- Cressey Family Trust
- Eugene Active 20-30 Club and Foundation
- Lane County Cultural Coalition
- McKay Family Foundation
- Oregon Country Fair
- Springfield Rotary Club
Leadership Council:
SMART Reading Leadership Councils are groups of individuals who help SMART Reading flourish in our local communities through fundraising and recruitment. Thank you to our South Valley Area Leadership Council members:
- Eric Ikenouye (Linn County)
- Mara McManus (Benton County)
- Megan Burrows (Lane County)
- Xan Augerot (Benton County)
We are looking for people join the South Valley Leadership Council and help SMART Reading raise friends and funds in our local communities. Please contact Laurie McNichols, Area Director, at 541-600-8035 or lmcnichols@smartreading.org for more information.
Events
Attend a Eugene Emerald's Game Benefitting SMART4/28/24
See event details ›