Monica Pietz coordinator for the Perry Area Democrats shared this information about their fundraising efforts through a banned book auction.

A group of Perry Area Democrat members met to discuss some sort of project that would create awareness of Democratic issues and publicity for Perry Area Democrats.  One of the members suggested a Banned Book Auction.  This was pertinent since the legislation regarding Book Bans was being taken to court by a publishing company. 

We contacted various authors of banned books for autographed copies of their book, along with receiving donations from Annie’s Foundation, Perry Area Democrats members and several bookstores.  Iowa Senator Claire Celsi spoke at the event. 

Books signed by authors were sold through a live auction. The other banned books were sold through a silent auction. Almost $2000 dollars were generated and distributed to local House and Senate Democratic candidates:

Press Release

Perry, Iowa Area Book Lovers Gather To Support The Freedom To Learn And Understand

Book lovers of all ages gathered Saturday(June 1, 2024) morning at the Proletariat, a local pub in downtown Perry, to buy books and to make an appeal: Don’t ban books.  More than 40 books, many signed and inscribed by their authors, were auctioned, raising $2,000 for Dallas County Democrats.
Speaker Claire Celsi, state senator and member of Education and Government Oversight Committees, said that Republican policies that indiscriminately ban books interfere with the freedom to learn and understand. She also spoke out against Iowa’s new laws that funnel tax payer money into unregulated charter schools, resulting in reduced funding for public schools.
Three Perry high school students read aloud excerpts from banned books. Ethan Jackson read from To Kill a Mockingbird, Olivia Christensen read from The Diary of Anne Frank, and Andres Zarate read from The Lorax.

“Dr. Suess’ Lorax is pretty dark,” said Zarate, introducing his reading. “Also, it’s critical of American capitalism.  Can kids handle it?  Book banners say ‘no.’

“We say, ‘Yes!’”