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 Greetings! Can it be nearly March already? How are you doing on those New Year's resolutions? Still on track? I didn't make any New Year's Resolutions this year. Figured I had enough on my plate already! In March we celebrate Women's History Month. I'll be performing my show, Dancing in Combat Boots, in Fort Collins and Loveland during the month. We are also working on booking shows in Berthoud and Estes Park. I can't think of a better way to acknowledge the women who changed our world than by coming to a show with your friends, book club, women's group or your mother or daughter. I'm also launching my 2011 "See to Read" campaign. I'll be collecting used eyeglasses at many of my talks and events this year. The glasses will be donated to the Lions Club, whose recycled eyeglasses program helps bring the gift of vision to those in need. I'll be asking especially for children's glasses. If a child can't see well, he can't read well. And that's something I'd like to help remedy. As many of you know, I'm on the committee for the Veteran's Plaza of Northern Colorado. Phase One of fundraising is complete, and groundbreaking on the new plaza at Spring Canyon Community Park will take place on February 28 at 8:30 a.m.! Please feel free to join us at that time. Phase II begins now with a goal of raising $200,000. Click here to learn more! Did You Know: I had the pleasure of spending a weekend in New York City with my son. We visited the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum. Here's how the museum's website summarizes this aircraft carrier's amazing history. "In 1943, Intrepid was commissioned and served proudly in World War II. She went on to serve as one of the primary recovery vessels for NASA, three tours of duty off Vietnam, and submarine surveillance in the North Atlantic during the Cold War." Click Here to learn more. Did You Know: To my surprise and to his delight, my son recognized more than half of the 30 restored aircraft on the Intrepid--everything from World War II airplanes to Cold War helicopters. Guess how he knew about most of them? Through the video games he plays. While video games may not be our first-choice educational tool, it's good to think that maybe they help spark an interest in history, but it's our responsibility to make sure the information they get beyond that is accurate. Here's an article on the subject at eHow Did You Know: The Fort Collins Lions Club donated over 6,000 used eyeglasses in 2010 alone! They also recycle hearing aids, and refitted 31 of those last year. That's a tremendous contribution to those in need. Check with your local Lions Clubs to see if they, too, are participating in the recycled eyeglasses program! .................................................................................................................................. |
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Readers
And Writers
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Readers:
Announcing my
new E-Book Versions!
I'm super excited to report that
Dancing in Combat Boots and
Remember Wake are now
available as e-books on Kindle and Nook readers or for download to your computer. Watch for them soon on iPad and Sony readers as well! Thank you to Brian Schwartz at KindleExpert.com for his help with the conversions. Click Here for a link to his page. Tell Brian you read about him on my newsletter and you'll get quick and accurate service.
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Look Who I Met:
On a recent visit to the Intrepid Museum in New York City, I had the pleasure of talking with John Lee Gill, a former World War II pilot. He's shown here with a Grumann TBM-3E Avenger. The Avenger was a good plane to fly, according to John. This is also the type of plane flown by former president George H.W. Bush. Among the many stories that John shared with me, here's a fun tidbit: "Pilots are always associated with white scarves, but none of us ever actually wore those scarves. They were very pretty and made of silk, so we gave them to our girlfriends."
At the Kids at Heart Event in December:
I'm pictured here with a life-size RT-D2 and members of a Northern Colorado Star Wars reenactment group. As a one-time Star Wars fanatic myself, it was fun to see how the kids reacted to this totally remote- controlled R2 unit.
Dancing is Chosen as Book for the Blind:
I was pleased to hear that Dancing in Combat Boots has been chosen to be a featured book by Colorado Talking Book Library! To learn more about this organization that helps provide reading material to those who are visually impaired, please click here.
Tell Me Your Stories:
Readers, please don't forget to send me your stories or your family's stories from World War II. We've made it super easy for you to submit your short memories or anecdotes from the war to my website. Simply visit my Readers Stories page.
We have numerous stories currently posted, so please feel free to visit my site to read these very special remembrances. |
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Writer's Tips
That Book Inside You!
My Most Popular Workshop:
Saturday February 26 and Saturday, April 9
It all starts with an idea--a middle-of-the-night brainstorm or a concept that's been building--and you know you've got a book inside you. But how do you begin? Click here for more information on this popular, one-day workshop and to sign up.
Teresa's Quote of the Month: "In Writing, There's No Such Thing as a 'Bad' Idea." A client of mine asked this month how to know if her book idea was "good" or "bad." Well, to begin with, you can ask trusted friends or an advisor what they think of the idea. If people seem excited, you are probably onto something good. But really, it's less about good and bad ideas and more about whether this is the book you WANT to write Click here to read more.
Northern Colorado Writers' Conference: Is coming up quick! March 11 & 12. Lots of great workshops and networking opportunites. Click here to see the full line-up,
Send Me Your Writing Questions:
And I'll do my best to answer them in this column. Your questions can be on the craft of writing or the business of publishing or the challenges of marketing your finished work or anything in between. I'm eager to hear your questions! |
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Educators
And Students
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Educators:
Sponsored Author Visits and School Kits!
Book me soon for an author visit to your school! My spring schedule is filling fast, but I love doing school visits. I know recent cuts have reduced speaker budgets, but we are partnering with the Lions Club on a new sponsorship program that can bring me to a limited number of schools for free. Meeting and hearing from a live author, one who is also a practiced speaker, has numerous benefits! Click Here to learn more.
Or sign up to be sponsored to receive a Do Your Part School Kit, which includes 30 copies of my books, lesson plans and student activities. To learn more, click on the video link to the right.
Women's History Month:
In 1987, March was declared Women's History Month by Congress! This month is a great time to learn about and celebrate the historic accomplishments of women
throughout the ages.
Before 1970, women's history was rarely the subject of conversation or study. But now, most universities and colleges offer women's history courses and some even offer upper level degrees in this field.
Click here to learn about actress Hedy Lamarr's co-invention that moved technology forward! In the 1940's it was called "frequency hopping." It is still used today, but in our high-tech world, her invention is now called "spread spectrum," which helps with wireless technology.
Use March as an opportunity to bring some of these amazing women into your classroom! Have your students break into pairs and research some of the following categories:
* Women in Uniform
* Female Nobel Prize Laureates * Women Scientists & Inventors
Have them think of their own categories of interest.
Teresa Funke's book Dancing In Combat Boots is a great way to bring 11 remarkable women into your classroom. This book is based on the stories of real women living during WWII. Or read Doing My Part this month as a class. Find out what Helen Marshall had to do, at 14 years of age, to support her family during WWII.
Another fun activity would be to have the students interview some of the women in their lives to find out just how unique they are! Have a "Tea Party" and invite these women to come to your class. Your students could read the information they gathered about them. |
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Students
Spring Break Fun:
Kids in the 1940s didn't have cell phones, computers, TVs or Wii! Try it getting by without those for a few days. Stop texting and put down your cell phone! Grab your friends or siblings and go outside to try a few these fun games during your break.
Washers
Marbles
Horseshoes
Skipping rope (you can look on the internet to find old rope skipping songs and games. Use a single rope to do it yourself or a long rope with two friends to turn it for you).
If your spring break ends up being cold...
Play Cards: All you need is one deck of cards to play old-fashioned games like Snap, Hearts, Spades and Go Fish. You'll learn logic and concentration along with having lots of fun!
Read A Book:
Teresa Funke's Home-Front Heroes Collection is a great Spring Break series! Learn about a very important time in history, but also how kids in the 1940s are like kids today! They were very creative in finding ways to have fun!
Mind Bender
Keep a look out each month for a mind bender. It could be some sort of activity or a trivia question. Check out the next month's newsletter for the answer. Good luck and have fun!!
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Pass It On!
Every month we work hard to include as much helpful information as we can for teachers, parents, homeschoolers, and students. If you like the activities you see here, please pass this newsletter on! To see our archived activities Click Here. |
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News
And Events
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Events:
Dancing in Combat Boots:
Come see my popular one-woman show on March 9 & 10 at Bas Bleu Theatre in Fort Collins. Click here to buy tickets. Or join me at the
Loveland Museum and Gallery on March 25th to see the show. Come early to enjoy their new exhibit Pioneering Women of Loveland in Period Costume. To learn more about ticketing and Dancing in Combat Boots-The Performance Click Here |
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Sponsor News:
School Kit Program:
Our one-of-a-kind Do Your Part School Kit program is going strong. To date, we have donated more than 65 school kits to schools in eleven states. And I've got a new video to tell you more about how you can help us improve and expand this important, new educational program and provide FREE classroom sets of books along with teaching materials to teachers. Click here to see the video.
Boys & Girls Clubs:
In January, we launched our new Read A Hero Literacy Program through Boys & Girls Clubs in Larimer, Weld and Pueblo counties. We are so pleased to be working with this amazing group of kids and helping to fill their after-school hours with reading, writing, history, art, and so much more! If you'd like more information about this program or are interested in sponsoring our summer literacy program through Boys & Girls Clubs, please contact me by clicking here Teresa or by calling 970-215-4155.
Sponsorship Opportunities:
Contact me to find out how you can team with Teresa Funke & Company and our partner organizations to help improve literacy, education and the arts in 2011. Our innovative programs bring new solutions to old problems.
Programs like:
The Read A Hero Literacy Program
The Do Your Part School Kit Program
The Teresa Funke School Visit Program
The Great Book Giveaway
The Teresa Funke & Company Arts Appreciation Program
And more . . .
If you are looking for ways to benefit your community and get good exposure for your group or business, I'd be happy to send you our Partnership Opportunities packet. Join us in making the things that matter, matter. |
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Catch Me At:
March 3, 2011
Featured Author
Preston Reads 2011
Preston Middle School
Fort Collins, CO
March 9 & 10, 2011
Dancing in Combat Boots
Bas Bleu Theatre
Fort Collins, CO
6:30 pm
March 25, 2011
Dancing in Combat Boots
Loveland Museum and Gallery
7:00 pm
April 2, 2011
Panelist
Mountain of Authors Event
Pikes Peak Library District
Colorado Springs, CO
To see details on these and other speaking engagements, check out my events page. |
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Contact Us
Teresa Funke & Company
116 W Harvard Suite 1
Fort Collins, Colorado 80525
970-223-4484
tfcinfo@teresafunke.com |
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Teresa Funke & Company provides book, programs, and resources to Readers, Writers, Teachers, and Students. Teresa is a Speaker, Presenter, Writers coach and author of five books based on true stories from World War II. To learn more, please visit www.teresafunke.com | |
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