NEWS AND NOTES ABOUT SHELBY COUNTY BOOKS FROM BIRTH
SPRING 2015
Parenting is hard, truly. Along with a blanket and a car seat, fear and uncertainty often accompany parents as they leave the hospital with their new baby. And these emotions tend to tag along with each new stage of a child?s development. This universal condition needs a universally available support structure around it, as the majority of our new families can benefit from assistance and guidance to ensure their children get off to the best start possible. This type of support for parents and caregivers of our youngest children should be part of our culture. We apply this philosophy at Books from Birth by choosing to make the Imaginat ion Library available to all children. While this universal access approach is a privilege provided by generous donors, we do feel it is the most efficient and effective use of early childhood resources. Simply put, all children are at risk of not getting a good foundation of pre-literacy skills, so all children are eligible. Due to this approach, nearly 75% of Shelby County children participate for some period of time. That is a remarkable community literacy effort. All Shelby County parents now have another type of support available to them. Due to years of hard work by child advocate Barbara H. Nixon, Shelby County is the first community in the United States to offer Universal Parent ing Pl aces, or UPP Cent ers. In the same way that children have ?well-care? visits to their pediatrician, families will have the opportunity for ?well-parenting check-ups? at UPP. The idea is that parents can talk through real and present challenges with a trained, supportive, and non-judgmental staff, at no cost to the parents. Like Books f rom Birt h, Universal Parent ing Pl aces offer the same universal access and opportunity for parents to ensure their children are off to a good start. As a community we cannot leave these important first few years of life to chance. Every day, 35-40 new children enter the world in our community, and we get a new chance to support them. We are certainly excited about the UPP Cent ers.
SPRING 2015
Books from Birth www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
READ ACROSS AMERICA MARCH 2015 Left, Mearl Purvis gives a copy of "A Snowy Day" to every child. Below left, author Barry Wolverton reads "Mine-O-Saur," Lauren Squires enjoys reading, and right, Andrew Douglas has a lot of company while he reads. Below, Lipscomb and Pitts Breakfast Club President Jeremy Park has the most fun of all.
Each March is designated as Read Across America Mont h - a time devoted to emphasizing the importance and fun of reading for children and adults of all ages. To celebrate, Books from Birth and Lit eracy Mid-Sout h joined forces with Port er-Leat h to bring books and celebrity readers to Headstarts across the city. WHBQ Fox 13 News Anchor and BFB Board Member Mearl Purvis captivated a group of three, four, and five year olds at American Way Headst art / Earl y Headst art with her reading of "A Snowy Day" by Ezra
Jack Keats. The children, who had just learned about Keats, now got to hear someone famous read the book, and they even got to act out several scenes. Finally they each received their very own copy of "A Snowy Day" to take home! This scenario repeated itself in various ways at four different Porter-Leath Headstarts. WMC-TV Action News Five's Andrew Dougl as and Lauren Squires, Lipscomb and Pitts Jeremy Park, and children's author Barry Wol vert on each visited two different classrooms, where they read and gave out
copies of books such as "One Cool Friend" and "Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon." The preschools received BFB books for their students and libraries. Everyone, especially the guest readers, had a fabulous time!
Books from Birth
SPRING 2015
www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
THE LITTLE ENGINE CIRCLE Books from Birth began and has grown on the strength of major donors who have given generously to bring the Imaginat ion Library to this area. As a way to honor these donors, BFB has instituted The Lit t l e Engine Circl e. Honorees receive a plaque emblazoned with "The Little Engine That Could" (the first book a child enrolled in Books from Birth receives), and an inscription thanking them for their philanthropy. We are so grateful for these organizations and individuals who believe that one of the first and most important steps in setting children on a path to success is ensuring they have access to age-appropriate, high-quality books in their homes.
2015 BE THE DREAM MLK LEGACY AWARD The two women most responsible for launching Books from Birth in Shelby County were honored by Mayor AC Whart on with the Be t he Dream MLK Legacy Award on Dr. Mart in Lut her King, Jr. Day, January 19, 2015. In 2005, Barbara H. Nixon (below left) and Nancy Bogat in (below right) garnered individual, corporate, and grant support and launched Books f rom Birt h. Ten years later, we are now the largest Imagination Library affiliate in the world, sending nearly 40,000 books every month to about 60% of the children under age five in Shelby County. Both Barbara and Nancy have continued to work in a multitude of ways on behalf of area children, most recently in launching the Universal Parent ing Pl ace (UPP) at two locations in Shelby County. Congratulations to Nancy and Barbara on this well-deserved award!
T h e per f ec t g if t ! Make a donation to Books from Birth for $50 or more in honor of a new baby, parent, or grandparent, and we will send them this adorable bib. Made of soft, washable cotton in cheery yellow, this is cute and practical and arrives with a note announcing your gift. What a perfect gift to bring to a baby shower or sip and see, as well as to say, Congratulations!" to a new grandmother. For more information, call Pat in the office 901-820-4501.
SPRING 2015
Books from Birth www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
REINDEER ROCKOUT 2014 Take an awesome venue, add a fabulous DJ, a generous supply of lemonade and cookies, and lots of sparkles, and you know what over 400 6th graders were doing on November 30, 2014. Now duplicate that for 7th and 8th graders, and you have the fabulous Reindeer Rockout 2014 - three separate middle school dances spread over two weekends and taking place just after Thanksgiving. In its fourth year, the Reindeer Rockout continues to grow as a major social event on the middle school
calendar. In October, we announce the exact time when the website will open for ticket sales. Word spreads quickly, and hundreds of tickets are purchased within the first two hours of sales. Reindeer Rockout is open to all 6th, 7th, and 8th graders in the area, and last year brought in over $27,000 for Books from Birth. Reindeer Rockout 2015 will be on November 29 (6th grade) and December 6 (7th and 8th grade). Check www.reindeerrockout .com in September for details.
SPRING LUNCHEON
On April 9, 2015 over 200 people gathered at Ridgeway Country Club for the "Open a Book, Open the Imagination" Luncheon, generously presented by Sawyers and Jacobs Consul t ing. Other sponsors were Cigna Heal t hcare Memphis, Col l iervil l e Farmers Market , and Scal es Consul t ing. Guests were welcomed with a silent auction, featuring fabulous donated items from individuals and businesses, followed by the luncheon, with guest speaker Col l iervil l e School s Superint endent John Ait ken (below left). Shel by Count y Mayor Mark H. Lut t rel l (below center) used the occasion to present a check to BFB for $10,000 from the Shel by Count y Mayor's Charit abl e Fund, Inc. Special guests included Mayor St an Joyner of Col l iervil l e, Deput y Mayor Rocky Janda of Germant own (together below center), Vice-President of t he Governor's Books f rom Birt h Foundat ion Dean Hoskins, and Germant own Al derman Mary Anne Gibson (below left with Mr. Aitken). Mary Jet t on Jacobs and Sarah Wal t on Pet t it (below right) served as event chairs. Over $29,000 was raised to provide books for children throughout Shelby County.
Books from Birth www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
SPRING 2015 Issue 6 | Volume 4 | 2013
Thank you to our donors who have given generously July 1, 2014-December 31, 2014. Anonymous
Ms. Jessica Cashdollar and Mr. Brian Blackwell
GiVE 365
Mrs. and Mrs. Elliot Abel
Mr. and Mrs. Eugene K. Cashman, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Gooch
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Abell
Mr. and Mrs. Barry Chase
Mr. Geoffrey Goodin
Mr. and Mrs. John Aitken
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Chickey
Ms. Victoria Gore
Dr. and Mrs. Steve Akins
Church Of The Holy Communion
Mr. and Mrs. Blakney Gower
Ms. Faith Alexander
City Of Germantown
Mr. and Mrs. Jerold Graber
Mr. Anthony Amadio
Mr. Josh Clark
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Grant
Mr. and Mrs. Newton Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Michael Cody
Ms. Mary C. Green
Dr. Rebecca Anderson
Mr. and Mrs. Stuart Cohen
Drs. John and Bonnie Greer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Archer
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Cohen
Ms. Jill Grishom-Troutman
Argent Trust
Mr. and Mrs. Keith Collins
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Gunnell
Aum Swasti Astu Fund
Mr and Mrs.. Gregory Cook
Mr. and Mrs. J.S. Hackett
Ms. Roshun Austin
Ms. Laura Crane
Ms. Diane Halperin
Auto Zone Matching Gift Program
DelBrocco & Associates
Mr. and Mrs. Romulus Hammond, IV
Ms. Megan Bailey
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Denzer
Mr. John Hatcher
Mr. and Mrs. Johnny Baker
Ms. Laura Detti
Mr. Ralph Haynes
Mr. and Mrs. Ernest Barnes
Ms. Andra DeVincenzo
Dr. and Mrs. Henry Herrod
Ms. Rachel Barnett
Mr. Jim Doran
Ms. Judy Hoffman
Bartlett Lions Club
Mr. Jed Dreifus
HOPE Christian Community Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. John Barton
Ms. Judy Drescher and Mr. Dave Lindstrom
Ms. Amy Hoyt
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Batson
Ms. Sherry DuBose
Ms. Shuiying Hu
Thaler Beasley
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Dudley
Ms. Katherine Hughes
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Beck
Ms. Katherine Durbin
Mrs. Courtney Humphreys
Ms. Linda Bennet
Ms. Edna Earl
Mr. and Mrs. Brett Hutcherson
Ms. Linda Bernhardt
Mrs. Ina Eiseman
International Paper Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. William Bickers
Ms. Mary Elzemeyer
Ms. Barbara Jacobs
Mr. and Mrs. Milton Binswanger
Emmanuel United Methodist Church
Ms. Lois Jensen
Mr. Charles Blake
Mr. and Mrs. Jeff Engelberg
Mr. and Mrs. James Johnston
Mr. and Mrs. Noah Blank
Mr. and Mrs. Frank Fabrie
Mrs. Beverly Jordan
Mr. W. Gary Blaylock
Dr. William Falvey and Ms. Emily Woodside
Ms. Charlene Kalb
Ms. Nancy Bogatin
Ms. Gloria Felsenthal
Mr. and Mrs. Philip Kaminsky
Mr. and Mrs. John Bondurant
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Ferguson
Mr. Seth Karol
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Bondurant
First Tennessee Foundation
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Kaufman
Ms. Heather Bopp
Mr. and Mrs. Rob Fischer
Mr. and Mrs. Sanford Kelsey
Mr. and Mrs. Bo Braswell
Ms. Mary Fleming
Ms. Susan Kendrick
Ms. Dottie Bridgers
Mr. and Mrs. Mott Ford
Mr. and Mrs. Kenneth J. Kimble, III
Ms. Aimee Burnwatt
Mr. Harry Freeman
Ms. Susan Kingston
Ms. Patrice Butas
Ms. Becky Gafford
Mr. and Mrs. Matthew Kinnear
Mr. and Mrs. Craig Cardwell
Mr. Scott Gettig and Mrs. Christine Weinreich
Mrs. Morris Klass
Ms. Jeanne Carr
Mr. and Dr. John V. Gibson
Mr. and Mrs. Roger Knox
Ms. Jennifer Carter
Mr. and Mrs. J.W. Gibson
Kroger Rebate Fund
Mr. Daniel Case
Mr. Brown Gill
Mr. and Mrs. James D. Lackie
SPRING 2015
Books from Birth www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
Thank you to our donors who have given generously July 1, 2014-December 31, 2014. Mr. and Mrs. Robert Lawson
Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Pettit
Mr. James Stettler
Ms. Debbie Lazarov
Mr. Sherwood Platt and Ms. Rose Rich
Ms. May Stiner
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Leon
Dr. David Portnoy and Dr. Lisa Usdan
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Stoudt
Mrs. Nell Rainer Levy
Mrs. Mearl Purvis
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Straton
Mr. and Mrs. John Lewis
Mrs. Marion Quinlen
Mr. Prasanna Sugavanam
Mr. and Mrs. Jay Lindy
Ms. Suzanne Ragsdale
Mr. and Mrs. Carlton Sumner
Lipscomb & Pitts Insurance
Ms. Melissa Rainer
Mr. and Dr. K.R. Sweeten
Ms. Molly Lockwood
Mr. Vadivel Ranganathan
Mr. Raymond Tanner
Mr. Eli Logan
Mr. and Mrs, Earl Raymond
Ms. Margaret Taylor
Ms. Laura Logue
Mr. James Reid
Mr. Bruce Taylor
Ms. Cynthia Lomack
Mr. and Mrs. Richard Riales
The Schadt Foundation
Ms. Suzanne Lomax
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Richardson
The Urban Child Institute
Mr. Milton Lovell
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Roberts
Mr. and Mrs. Errol Thomas
Macy's Foundation
Mr. Mark Roberts and Dr. Niki Jurbergs
Dr. David Tipton
Ms. Katie Mallory
Mr. and Mrs. Jack Ross
Mr. and Mrs. Bradley Trammell
Mr. and Mrs. Lee Mallory
Dr. and Mrs. Robert Ruch
Mr. and Mrs. Corey Trotz
Mr. and Mrs. Charles Mansbach
Mrs. Diane Rudner
Twentieth Century Club
Mrs. Julia Maroda
SalesForce Foundation
Ms. Jane Tyson
Ms. Dar Lena Martin
Mr. Brian Schaffler
Mrs. Lauren Utterback
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Maykowski
Mr. and Mrs. Joe Scheuner
Ms. Mary VanGieson
Mr. Mack McCaul
Mr. and Mrs. Peter Schutt
Mr. Steve Veesart
Ms. Barbara McCloskey
Mr. and Mrs. Paul Sciubba
Mr. Bob Vidulich and Ms. Diane Sachs
Mr. Scott McNeil
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Seamons
Mrs. Paige Walkup
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip McNeill, Sr.
Mr. and Mrs. Andrew Seamons
Ms. Jane Walters
Mr. and Mrs. Phillip McNeil, Jr.
Mr. and Mrs. John Selberg
Mr. and Mrs. Ted Waxler
Mr. and Mrs. Logan Meeks
Mr. and Mrs. Albert Shaw
Mrs. Judy Weatherly
Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Midgley
Mrs. Judi Shellabarger
Mr. and Mrs. Greg Weidenhoffer
Mr. and Mrs. Lawrence Miller
Mr. and Mrs. Franklin Shelton
Mr. and Mrs. Alec Wellford
Ms. Marion Morgan
Mr. and Mrs. RD Singh
Mr. J. Madison Wells III and Mrs. Amy Uden Wells
Mr. and Mrs. Walker Morris
Ms. Jennifer Sink
Ms. Bettie Welsh
Mr. and Mrs. D. Stephen Morrow
Mr. and Mrs. Jerry Sklar
Mr. and Mrs. Mark Wender
Ms. Courtney Murrah
Mr. and Mrs. Ronald Sklar
Mr. and Mrs. Alexander Wharton
Mr. William Murray and Mrs. April Murray-Holm
Mr. and Mrs. Grayson Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Jason Wicks
Mr. and Mrs. John Mutin
Ms. Deborah L. Smith
Megan Wilkins
Ms. Darlene Newman
Dr. and Mrs. Michael Smith
Mr and Mrs. Page Williamson
Ms. Deborah Northcross
Mr. and Mrs. Austin Smith
Mr. and Mrs. Gary Wilson
Mr. and Mrs. Dan O'Brien
Mr. William Solmson and Ms. Karen Spacek
Ms. Linda Wimmer
Ms. Carleen O'Reilly
Mr. and Mrs. Donn Southern
Ms. April Wise-Ross
Mr. and Mrs. Daniel Ost
Mr. Philip Turnbull and Ms. Viv Spicer
Mr. and Mrs. Stewart Wortham
Ms. Margaret Gracey Owens
Mr. and Mrs. Joshua Spickler
Xerox Corporation
Ms. Carrie Peters
Ms. Sheri Spunt
Books from Birth www.booksfrombirth.org 901.820.4501
SPRING 2015
Thank you to our donors who have made memorial gifts July 1, 2014-December 31, 2014. Dorothy Arnold
Jim Fowler
Regina Ross Bill Davis
Sumner Levine Jon Freeman
Karen Spacek Marshall Smith
Deanna Kaminsky
Curtis Thomas
Jerri Linskey
Paige Walkup ,
Bonnie Smith
Linda Sklar
Reita Selberg Dorothy Stewart
Carrie Peters
Scott Walkup
Peter Peters
Alison Duffy
Margaret Caldwel Kathryn Tipton
Carrie Peter
Patrice Butas
Emma Ross
Eugene Epstein
David Tipton Joe Williams
April R. Wise-Ross
Lisa Udan
Bill Roy
Victoria Gore Dorothy Keister Williamson
Judy Hoffman
Books from Birth Staff
Thank you to our donors who have made honoraria July 1, 2014-December 31, 2014. Cardwell and William Akins Judy and Steve Akins India Alexander Faith Alexander Nancy Bogatin Jeanne Carr Mike Boyer Carol Seamons Mrs. Brown, Mrs. Driver, Mrs. Fleming, Ms. Long, Mrs. Willis, Coach Angner, Coach Davis Lauren Utterback Rena Brunner Lynette Denzer David Colin Carter Jennifer Carter Diane Chambliss Carla Wortham Walt Chambliss Family Judy Weatherly The Reverend and Mrs. Reynolds Cheney Sherry Dubose Murphy Rigby Finch Clark Josh Clark Collierville Schools Board of Education John Aitken Margaret Craddock Ann and Roger Knox Myrna and Vern Cronen Linda Ellen Sklar First Baptist Day School and Holly Labarreave Thaler Beasley Jeanne Foreman Josh Clark
Archer Goldstein
Carrie and Trevor Peters
Susan Lindy Michael Greenberg
Carrie Peters Caroline Peters
Diane Rudner Owen, Benjamin, and Mary Carver James
Carrie Peters Geraldine Rawls
Suzanne Lomax Jenny Kaufman and Bryan Faller
Carrie Peters Sylvia Richey
Elaine and Robert Kaufman Lucy Keller Lindsay Barton Lucy and Ron Keller Lindsay Barton Ellen Klyce Nancy Bogatin Ashley Mayfield and John Remmers Diane Rudner Mims Maynard Victoria Gore Katie Midgley Aimee Burnwatt Mary Elzemeyer Linda Bernhardt Amy Hoyt Roshun Austin Diane Rudner Aurora Harper Miller and Everett Harper Miller Lawrence and Alyssa Miller Lisa Morten D. Stephen Morrow Dorah Mullenix Josh Clark Maggie Olswanger Susan Chase
Lisa Usdan Joy Ross Regina Ross Judy Royal Lisa Usdan Mary Scheuner William Murray Carol Seamons and Family Joanne Seamons Dorothy Severson Regina Ross Mrs. A.C. Sisk Karen Wellford Linda Sklar Bob Archer Linda Ellen and Ronny Sklar Louise Sklar Sam Stenberg Courtney Humphreys Mary Trotz Diane Halperin Carol Weidenhoffer Greg Weidenhoffer Jamila Wicks Emmanuel Methodist Church
NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION U.S. POSTAGE
Shelby County Books from Birth P.O. BOX 17008
PAID
Memphis, TN 38187-0008
MEMPHIS, TN PERMIT NO. 533
Board of Directors Peter Schutt ? Chair
Katie M idgley
Car ol Seam ons - Vice-Chair
Lisa M or ten
Diane Cham bliss ? Secr etar y
Dar lene New m an
Lisa Chow M allor y ? Tr easur er
M ar k O'M alley
Dr. Becky Ander son
M ear l Pur vis
Sally Walker Davies
M ar y Scheuner
Judy Dr escher
M ar lene Shaw
Cate Joyce
Jenny M aller y Ver gos
John Lew is
Alexander W har ton
Casey M cNeil Kim M acQueen - Past-Chair
Books fr om Bir th is changing lives by pr om oting kinder gar ten r eadiness and str engthening fam ily bonds in Shelby County. We gr eatly appr eciate your suppor t! booksfr om bir th.or g (901) 820-4501 Peter Abell - Executive Dir ector Pat Hannah - Office M anager
Jam ila W icks - Com m unity Developm ent M anager
Andr a DeVincenzo - Com m unications M anager