A Day of Thanks

Ok- so traditionally that would be in November around the table with the family thinking about all the things we are grateful for, but I am thankful every day - so I thought I'd share!

Special thanks to:

The First Book- Mahoning Valley board members for great organizing and wonderful enthusiasm. No matter how crazy things get, you guys make it happen and continue to believe that every dollar counts (big or small) because it buys a book for a child.
Felicity, Amy, Greta, Tara, Stephen, Linda- thanks for EVERYTHING!

Our golfers- We are still hoping that this will grow to be a golf outing that gives you the opportunity for networking and meeting great new people. in the meantime, thank you for your continued support and dedication. We hope you enjoyed the game, the prizes and the incredible chicken!

Community/Business supporters: All of you made this golf outing a success! From the incredible Home Depot grill we all fought over to the beautiful jewelry from Beadazzled- we couldn't do it without you! Watch for a complete listing of donors on our official web page coming soon! Thank you to Farmers National Bank for the silver sponsorship that helps make it all possible.

A Way With Words Foundation- Thank you for the extra prizes you donated for our golfers! They loved the items and I loved being able to take a moment to talk about the amazing work you do. First Book- Mahoning Valley firmly believes in collaboration! Look what we can all do together!

My friends and family- You know I can't do it without you. Dan and Tim- thanks for throwing a team together to help me out even though it took you away from your family reunion for a little while. Lois- thanks for thinking there is no way I could be turning 37 today- you are beautiful! Tyler (my son) donated three hole sponsor signs and it was a joy to watch him make them. I am very proud of how good he is at his job and I appreciate his support. My girls were away with family for the outing but did a lot to help prepare. Thanks!

SO thank you to everyone! Even the people I didn't mention specifically. I would write more, but birthday cake awaits!

Thanks!

First Book needs your help!

Please check out our PSA from the most wonderful Madonna Chism Pinkard at WFMJ (thank you!)

We need golfers and hole sponsors. If you know someone who understands how important it is that every child read and own his/her own first new book, please direct them to our outing. There is room for supporters of any type- volunteers, hole sponsors, sponsorships, etc... but mostly golfers.

You can sponsor a hole for $100 or be a Friend of First Book for $30. Whatever fits your budget. Every $2.50 buys a book for a child- can't send $30, send $5! We are grateful for every book we can give!

Remember that we are a volunteer run organization- no overhead, salaries, etc. Everything raised during our outing goes directly to giving children in the Mahoning Valley their first new book.

REGISTER TODAY!

Are you ready to ROCcK?

First Book- Mahoning Valley is very pleased to be working in conjunction with Brenda Rider, founder of the A Way With Words Foundation, the ROCcK Choir (Raising our Commitment to Cancer Kids) and with Chris Yambar (of the Simpsons Comics fame, and more!) at the AWWWMAZING PLACE at Southern Park Mall (near the Buffalo Wild Wings entrance).

This new store serves as an outreach center to help both cancer patients and their friends and families. Customers are encouraged to come in and share their experiences, ask questions about helping friends through cancer, or just learn more about the organization. Items for sale in the store benefit the A Way With Words Foundation and The ROCcK Choir.

First Book- Mahoning Valley is honored to have some of our Beads for Books items for sale at the store. A percentage of the proceeds will benefit both our organization and theirs- so please stop in and support us... or just support them and tell others about us!

Keep an eye out for monthly Beads for Books events beginning in August, when you can shop our full line of Fireball beads.

Also watch for announcements of additional events at the store. You don't want to miss an opportunity to watch Chris Yambar paint or run into the elusive (he often just tries to blend in) Guy Shively, whose art is also featured.

On a side note, there are very lovely key chains and necklaces designed by inSAMity- a sweet ten year old (Sammi) who is very excited to be a part of this store and the opportunity to raise funds for both A Way With Words and First Book with her own designs.

Check it out and when you do, pick up some info about our August 8 golf outing!

May 15 at Barnes & Noble

Ok- so I told you about the bookfair and the gallery show with the Ohio Jewelry and Metal Arts Guild in the last post. All of our wonderful supporters can shop at Barnes & Noble on May 15, check out the amazing jewelry and metal work of area artists, and when you make a purchase and say you are shopping with First Book- Mahoning Valley, Barnes & Noble will make a donation to help us give even more new books to children in our community.

But wait- There's more!

David Lee Morgan, Jr., a Youngstown native and YSU alumni who writes for the Akron Beacon Journal, is having a book signing that very same day. The title? Kelly "The Ghost" Pavlik: The Pride of Youngstown. David will be accompanied by Greg Gulas- co-author and also from YSU. The signing begins at 2:00 pm. THIS BOOK IS ONLY AVAILABLE MAY 15 from open to close- you can't get it the day before, the day after, and it may be some time before you can order it at B&N again (working it out).

At 4:00 pm David will be joined by his special guest KELLY PAVLIK - who will also sign books.

So, if you come in for David Morgan Jr's new book and say you are shopping with First Book- you win and so do the children in the Mahoning Valley!!!

Need more info about the signing? email amyneral@yahoo.com or visit Barnes & Noble in Youngstown. RESERVE YOUR BOOK TODAY!!!

FORE!

Wow! Been a while since I updated, but I am going to try to blog regularly so everyone can keep up with what we are doing. We have now distributed well over 20,000 books... with thousands more to go.
We are still distributing to the Youngstown Elementary schools through Youngstown Stars- a great organization run by April Brown through the Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic that does after school programming.

Coming up we are hosting a bookfair at Barnes & Noble in the Shops at Boardman Park on May 15 with the Ohio Jewelery and Metal Arts guild. They will have an Artists' Reception at 7 pm and we will host a storytime in the kids department for the little ones. If you have shopping to do, come in that day and tell them you are shopping for First Book- Barnes & Noble will make a donation to us!! Thanks!

We are also gearing up for our 2nd annual golf outing on August 8 at 8 am. We need hole sponsors, prize donations, and most of all, GOLFERS! Join us and help get new books to kids! The money all goes to books- we have no overhead, we're all volunteers, and we have no costs! What more can you ask for? The outing will be at Bedford Trails in Coitsville, Ohio. Thank you, Andrew for being so great to work with!

There will be many more opportunities to see what wonderful work we are doing because of the great people who support us! Keep checking in for updates to find out when and where!

Wal-Mart Foundation Awards $25,000 Grant to First Book – Mahoning Valley

Grant enables First Book - Mahoning Valley to provide children with the opportunity to read
and own their first books

First Book - Mahoning Valley, the local volunteer affiliate for the national non-profit First Book that provides new books to children in need, addressing one of the most important factors affecting literacy – access to books, received $25,000 from the Wal-Mart Foundation as part of its newly established State Giving Program. The grant will help First Book – Mahoning Valley fulfill its mission to help every child read and own his or her first new book.

Approximately 1,600 students form Harding, Taft, Williamson, and Paul C. Bunn elementary schools will benefit from the donation, as First Book - Mahoning Valley will use the grant to give elementary students new books at quarterly Family Night programs, sponsored by First Book and area organizations, including: Youngstown STARS, a program of Neil Kennedy Recovery Clinic; Wean Foundation, Treez Please, the Green Team and Barnes & Noble.

Representatives from Wal-Mart; Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams; Amy Neral, First Book- Mahoning Valley Advisory Board Chairperson; Youngstown STARS project manager, April Alexander; Taft Elementary principal Debbie Hagg; Youngstown CIty school representative, Claudia Charity and approximately 40 students were on hand to announce the grant in the Taft Elementary School library.

“At Wal-Mart we believe it’s best to operate globally and give back locally, which is why we created the State Giving Program,” said Jason Wetzel, Senior Manager Public Affairs. “In our experience, we can do the most good by supporting issues and causes that are important to our customers and associates in their own neighborhoods. We rely on our associates to know which organizations are the most critical to their hometowns, and we empower them to determine how Wal-Mart dollars will be best spent.”

Youngstown Mayor Jay Williams commended First Book - Mahoning Valley and Wal-Mart.

"One of the most powerful, important and fundamental skills our children need to establish early in life is that of reading and reading comprehension,” said Mayor Williams. “The generous contribution from the Wal-Mart Foundation to First Book – Mahoning Valley will greatly assist in opening the minds and imaginations of our children through reading.”

At today’s event, First Book - Mahoning Valley gave its kick-off “first books” to the approximately 40 Taft Elementary School students.

“If it wasn’t for Wal-Mart, the children wouldn’t be getting the books,” said Amy Neral, First Book Advisory Board Chair. “It is the books that will help children retain the lesson they learn and the time they spend together at the events as a family.”

Celebrating 10,000 books

To date, First Book- Mahoning Valley has distributed over 10,000 books to children in the Mahoning Valley. While we would love to stop and celebrate this wonderful achievement, there are countless children in our area who still do not have their own new books at home. Having these books at home to read at their disposal increases test scores, literacy skills, and often inspires children to look forward to futures that they may not see in their immediate environments.

Help us continue to get books into the hands of the children who need them. There are several events you can participate in:

Sat, May 10 at the Youngstown Playhouse
Spring Speed Read with a Frog and Toad production
1:00 pm in the Moyer Room
Registration of $25.00 before April 21 guarantees
1 free adult ticket to the play. Every child in attendance will receive a new Frog and Toad book.
Additional tickets available for purchase.
Collect pledges from you colleagues, co-workers, friends and family to help purchase books for children. Every $25.oo buys 10 books for a child. Every $100 buys 40 books for children.

How many children can you help us get new books to? All proceeds go directly to book purchases as we are a strictly volunteer organization with no overhead.

Saturday,
August 16 1st Annual Golf Outing
Bedford Trails
We need golfers and hole sponsors. Donations are also accepted for prizes.
More information can be received by emailing fbmvgolf@yahoo.com

WISH LIST
We need your help!
First Book- Mahoning Valley is in need of the
following items:

postage
working laptop computer
donations for printing costs (update brochure needs printed)
volunteers (can't attend meetings- send us your email and we'll let you know when an event is coming up)
Donations of color and b/w ink for a Lexmark x1240 printer

All donations are tax deductible. Buying a new laptop- we would love your old one! We have in-kind donation forms available for recording tax deductions

If you can help us out- please email me! amyneral@yahoo.com