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March 2014 Newsletter
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2,305,632 books distributed since December 2009!
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Thank You From A Child
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Welcome to New Staff Members
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If you've volunteered at our processing center recently, you may have met Nancy, Dawn and Terry already. But if not, come by and introduce yourself to the newest members of our staff. We're so excited that they are here and are already making a huge difference!
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Nancy Hopma is our Office Coordinator.
She will most likely be the friendly smile that greets you the next time you visit our processing center. She's using her extensive office management experience to keep us organized and efficient. She has already introduced many new friends to our mission.
Dawn Watrous is our Book Collections Manager. If you're interested in hosting a book drive, she's the person to talk to - she'll make your experience easy, meaningful and fun! A former teacher at a school we serve, Dawn brings a wealth of teaching and children's book publishing experience to Bernie's Book Bank.
 Terry DeMarco works in our processing center, offering Logistics Support. A former IT professional, Terry is also the author of two children's books:
The Strange World of Kal E. Kalzoo
and The Quantum Passageway.
You'll likely work with Terry the next time you're here to volunteer. We love his enthusiasm and you will. too!
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FAMILY 5,000 CLUB
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We're gearing up for another summer of the FAMILY 5,000 CLUB and we want you and your family to join us!
 It's a summer service project the whole family can participate in! You and your family commit to collecting 5,000 books from Memorial Day to Labor Day. We'll give you everything you need to be successful - including ideas for spreading the word and t-shirts!
Plus,your whole family
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Our Mission
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Bernie's Book Bank collects, processes, and distributes quality new and gently used children's books to significantly increase BOOK OWNERSHIP among at-risk infants, toddlers and school age children throughout Chicagoland.
We have distributed more than 2 MILLION books since December 2009 and now serve more than 80,000 at-risk children annually.
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Our Goal
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To collect, process and distribute 4 MILLION books per year, serving all 300,000 at-risk children in the Chicagoland area with 12 quality books per year by 2016.
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JOIN TEAM BERNIE
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Grow, Serve and Connect to our mission, to the children we serve and to our team!
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DONATE TODAY!
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Your donation today makes quality book ownership a reality for at-risk children!
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Watch Our Video
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Click on photo to watch our book distribution video.
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NEW! MONDAY VOLUNTEER HOURS
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Our processing center is now open to volunteers on Mondays! Check out our new volunteer schedule! We're growing quickly, with a goal to serve 215,000 more at-risk children throughout Chicagoland and we need you to do it! We strive to make your experience as impactful for you as it is for the children we serve! DROP IN VOLUNTEER HOURS: Drop in means you come and leave when you want during drop in volunteer hours. There's no need to call ahead - just come:
Mondays: 3:30-5:30 p.m. Tuesdays: 9:30-11:30 a.m.  Wednesdays: 9:30-11:30 a.m., 4:00-6:00 p.m. Fridays: 9:30- 11:30 a.m. Saturdays: 9:00-11:00 a.m.
FOR GROUPS OF 8 OR MORE VOLUNTEERS:
Groups can be scheduled for 2 hour sessions during the following time slots:
Mondays: 10:00-12:00 pm and 1:30-3:30 p.m.
Tuesdays: 1:00-3:00 p.m., 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Wednesdays: 1:00-3:00 p.m.
Thursdays: 10:30-12:00 p.m, 1:00-3:00 p.m., 3:30-5:30 p.m.
Fridays: 3:00-5:00 p.m.
Saturdays: 11:30-1:30 p.m, 2-4 p.m. Have a few dates and times in mind and contact Nancy by email: [email protected] or call 847-780-7323 (READ). Click here to bookmark the volunteer page on our website. | |
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BOOK DRIVE SPOTLIGHT
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 We are so grateful to everyone who donates books to the children we serve. We have many schools, churches, synagogues, corporations, individuals and groups who are collecting books for us - here are a few stand outs for the coming month:
Talbot's 15% Off Book Drive from April 5 to April 6
Talbot's clothing stores in Deer Park, Lake Forest and Lincolnshire will be offering 15% off your purchase when you bring in 5 or more children's books to donate.
St. Charles Community Book Drive from April 7 to April 18
For the 3rd year in a row, Amy Kappele, a reading specialist in St. Charles, has lead a community-wide book drive. All public schools, St. Charles Park District and the Blue Goose Market are all pitching in to collect 35,000 books! A local Girl Scout troop even distributed flyers at the town St. Patrick's Day parade!
Highland Park's North Shore School District 112 from April 14 to May 2
Eight elementary and three middle schools are hosting a district-wide drive to honor retiring Superintendent Dr. Behlow. This effort is being led by NSSD 112's dedicated council of P.T.O. Presidents.
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A MESSAGE FROM BRIAN
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Dear Fellow Berniacs:
Typically, winter is a time when things slow down, go dormant and maybe even hibernate...especially during a winter like we've had.
Not at Bernie's Book Bank.This winter has been a time of incredible activity and growth.
We are off to a record pace and are preparing for some very exciting things coming up in the next 12-18 months...shhhhhhh!
You might be asking yourself, "Why is Bernie's Book Bank so focused on growth?" Here's why. If we all agree that quality book ownership is a critical part of a pursuit of a better life, then we can all agree it is necessary for ALL children to own quality books.
Currently Bernie's Book Bank is serving more than 85,000 at-risk children throughout Chicagoland with 12 quality books every year. However, it is estimated that there are another 215,000 at-risk children throughout Chicagoland waiting for our services.
This, is the reason for our sense of urgency and desire to grow!
So, in an effort to multiply our impact, Bernie's Book Bank has added some team members to our staff family. We are so grateful to welcome Nancy, Dawn and Terry to the team.
Each of them comes to Bernie's Book Bank with a specialized skill set and wonderful positive energy that will be pivotal in our efforts to get even better at what we do!
Welcome Nancy, Dawn and Terry, we are so grateful you are here!
Brian Floriani
Founder & Executive Director
847-780-READ (7323)
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