Seedlings is breaking records! - Seedlings Braille Books for Children

Winter 2015
www.seedlings.org
••• In Touch Newsletter
Seedlings Braille Books for
Children is a 501(c)(3)
non-profit, tax-exempt
organization dedicated to
increasing the opportunity
for literacy by providing high
quality, low cost children’s
literature in braille.
2015 Board of Directors
Jerry Bricker-President
Gretchen Alaniz
Mark Bosscher
Arthur Cole
Ann Devereux
Katie Dodge
Paula Korelitz
Sharon Marsh
Sarah Saltzman
Cheryl Shewach
Jared Stofflett
Sue Ward
Seedlings is
breaking records!
Seedlings Braille Books for Children filled
a record number of orders for braille items
in October—a whopping 3,544 books!
That’s 123 more than the previous record
set.
Thanks to our generous donors, we were
able to simultaneously offer two book
giveaway programs to teachers of visually
impaired students.
The first offer went
to TVIs in eight
Katelynn Gaskill, our Shipping Manager, with a
Northeast states.
stack of free books on their way to teachers!
Each of them was
invited to request
$100 worth of free books via our website. One hundred forty
-five teachers responded, ordering 1,684 titles! Then we
expanded the offer to teachers in three Midwest states. With
the addition of Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska, we now have
Teachers were able to
given away free books to teachers of the visually impaired in choose from among our
all 50 states!
1,300 titles in ordering
$100 each of free books.
We started our giveaway program for teachers in 2012 in
Michigan and expanded it across the county in just three years!
The teachers were thrilled. “I am a brand-new teacher of the visually impaired in
Omaha Public Schools,” wrote a teacher from Nebraska. “I am excited to begin
building a library of braille books for my
students. Your website is awesome!”
A teacher from Missouri wrote: “Thank
you so much for the donation of free
books. This is such a blessing!”
“Placing a book in a child’s
hands is like planting a seed.
The teachers were thrilled to receive the free books!
Seedlings News
Open house crowd is biggest ever!
Seedlings
had a record
-breaking
turnout at
its Open
House on
Oct. 7! So
many people from the
community Attendees watch as volunteers add braille to
print picture books.
came to
show their support and to learn more about how
we make our books and how we are helping to
bring the gift of literacy to children across the U.S.
and around the world. Our heartfelt thanks to
everyone who attended and especially to all of
the volunteers who helped with the tours and
demonstrations. Kudos all around!
Founder
Debra
Bonde explains how
and why she
started
Seedlings.
Wanted: Adopt-A-Reader sponsors
We are starting a list of potential sponsors willing
to consider “adopting” a child in our Adopt-AReader program so the children, once enrolled,
don’t have to wait long for a match. If you want to
be on list, send your name and email address to
Karen Smith at Seedlink7@ameritech.net. We will
email you photos and bios of the children as they
enroll. If there is a child you are interested in
“adopting,” we will match you with that child and
he or she, with your $100 donation, will receive a
gift certificate from Seedlings for $100 worth of
free books. For more information about the program, email Seedlink7@ameritech.net or call 734427-8552, ext. 301.
~ Save the Date ~
Seedlings’ 2016
Bowling for Braille Books Event
Saturday, March 12, 2016
•
Bowl, Volunteer, Fundraise, Sponsor and Donate!
Be part of Seedlings’ BOWLING FOR
BRAILLE BOOKS event to put more
braille books into the hands of blind
children! Brochures will be mailed in
January.
Attention
Michigan Visually Impaired Children
Seedlings is again participating in the Gift of Reading
program this year, thanks to a generous grant from the
Detroit Free Press. What does this mean? Visually
Impaired children in Michigan can select a book from
the Seedlings catalog and receive it FREE. Please visit
http://www.seedlings.org/giftread.php for more
information and to fill out a request form.
Meet our new Community
Outreach Manager
Karen Smith, the former editor of the Livonia Observer, has joined us as Community Outreach Manager. She took an early retirement buyout from Gannett, the Observer’s parent
company, on Oct. 30, and started working at Seedlings on Nov. 5. Karen’s longrange career goals included working for a
non-profit one day where she could help
people more directly. “Seedlings was the
perfect fit for me,” she said. Karen and
her husband, Craig, have three children and four
grandchildren. Lifelong Michiganders, they have enjoyed camping all over the Mitten State. Karen can be
reached at Seedlink7@ameritech.net or 734-4278552, ext. 301.
2
Ken Heim
‘He’ll do anything;
he never says no.’
Ken Heim is a retired teacher who volunteers for several non-profits, but his favorite is
Seedlings Braille Books for Children. “It’s one great place to spend some of your time,” he
said. “I like to be around people. The people who volunteer here are very, very nice.”
Ken learned about Seedlings four years ago from founder/director Debra Bonde. They both
sing in the Livonia Civic Chorus. Ken knew of the need for low-cost, high-quality braille books
because his son had taught visually impaired students in Ohio so volunteering at Seedlings
interested him. “The more I did it, the more fun it was,” he said.
Now he volunteers twice a week, coming in Tuesdays and Fridays to assemble boxes for
shipping books, to drive book shipments to the post office, to collect recyclable materials or
to do other odd jobs.
“Ken is exceptional,” Volunteer Coordinator Katelynn Gaskill said. “He’ll do anything; he
never says no.” Ken likes working at Seedlings so much, he’s recruited other volunteers,
including Cathie Cheslak. Cathie’s glad he did. “I just love helping blind children,” she said.
Ken assembles boxes for shipping books.
A widower, Ken said he likes to stays busy and to help
people. He also volunteers for Habitat for Humanity
and at a soup kitchen in Detroit. He likes that he can
volunteer as much or as little as he wants at Seedlings.
And he likes that he is helping to make a difference. He
said he is amazed when he looks down at the addresses
some of the boxes go to: Russia, Australia, Brazil—all
over the world. “It’s very heart-warming,” he said.
 Please contact Katelynn at 734.427.8552 x 306 if you are interested in being a volunteer 
3
Holiday Gift Ideas
Yes, it’s hard to believe it, but the holidays are right around the corner. If you’re like us, you might be looking
for some help with the “To Do” list. Here are a few ideas that might help.
Gift Ideas . . .
Holiday Cards . . .
Check out our new
Braille Alphabet Tiles
which feature tactile
print and braille letters
for $20! We also have a colorful, fun, chunky
Melissa and Doug
shapes puzzle with braille
for $9! For the whole family’s enjoyment, we have
Braille/large print playing
cards for only $9 per deck!
Visit our website at seedlings.org/order.php
Show your support for Seedlings
and send these unique Christmas
cards this holiday season. The
artwork on this card was
designed by one of our braille
readers, Naudia, age 9. Cards are
5”x7”. Each package contains 12
cards and envelopes for $16. The
card greeting says “Happy
Holidays and Best Wishes!” The
greeting is in both print and braille. Call 800-777-8552
to order. Shipping is available: 1-3 pkgs add $6; 4-18
pkgs add $13.
Tribute Cards . . .
Looking for something different, but very special for the people on your holiday shopping list? Look no further! Seedlings has holiday tribute cards available. For each $10 donation, you will receive an elegant card to give to the
special people on your list. We will then inscribe a braille book with your honoree’s name and it will soon be on its way to an eager braille reader, making
their holidays brighter too! Visit our website for information: seedlings.org/
donate.php
Print & Braille Affirmation Charms . . .
Whether worn alone, grouped on a chain, attached to a key chain, or carried in a pocket, our
affirmation charms are tactile reminders of what is important. The charms come in Sterling
Silver and Bronze. Sterling Silver charms sell for $25 each and can be obtained with the words:
dream, hope, joy, love, peace, read, or touch. Bronze charms sell for $12 each and include the
words: courage, dream, hope, joy, love, or peace. Visit our website to order: seedlings.org/
order.php
The Board and Staff of Seedlings Braille Books for
Children wish you a happy, healthy holiday season.
Seedlings Braille Books for Children • 14151 Farmington Road • Livonia, Michigan 48154
734-427-8552/800-777-8552 • Fax: 734-427-8552 • info@seedlings.org • Follow us on
Facebook: Seedlings Braille Books for Children and/or Twitter: @SeedlingsBrlBks.
4