On December 31, 2011, Kids Need to Read (KNTR) Executive Director Denise Gary reported in 2011 Browncoat Big Damn Fan Filmscontributed $19,798, California Browncoats contributed $5,123, Help Nathan Buy Firefly/Unstoppable Signals contributed $4,208, and Nathan Fillion FANS contributed $2,729. The following Browncoat organizations contributed funds from their Can’t Stop the Serenity screenings of the movie Serenity, or from other fundraisers staged in their communities: Alberta Browncoats Society($860), Arizona Browncoats($333), Austin Browncoats($500), Northern Virginia Browncoats ($497), Raleigh NC Browncoats($1,077), San Antonio Browncoats($539), Southeastern Browncoats($500), and Whedonites United($340).
Executive Director Gary stated, “Thank you to all who contributed to Kids Need to Read in 2011, whether you are a Browncoat, Fillion fan, or supporter of childhood literacy. Together, all of your contributions enabled KNTR to not only provide a record number of books to children but allowed us to implement important programs to increase the impact of the reading resources we supply. We hope we can once again count on your support in the New Year, so Kids Need to Read can continue working on behalf of our nation’s children.”
Executive Director Denise Gary observed Browncoat Big Damn Fan Films created a Serenity/Firefly-based film – Browncoats: Redemption – to benefit charitable causes and raised $100,000. KNTR received a total of $23,251 over the lifetime of Browncoats: Redemption. “Browncoat Big Damn Fan Films has always gone above and beyond the call of duty for our organization, for which we will always remain grateful. The film’s writer/director, Michael Dougherty, now serves as the DJ of the KNTR Geek Prom, sponsored by Bookmans at Phoenix Comicon.”
She explained California Browncoats“will always hold a special place in our hearts for being the first Browncoat group to embrace KNTR. They partnered with Dark Horse Comics to create a special edition cover for the Serenity: Better Days #1 comic book, which was initially sold at San Diego Comic-Con in 2008. Since that time, California Browncoats have raised a total of $15,688 for KNTR. In addition, Kids Need to Read was given several hundred copies of the limited edition comic book, which we sell in our eBay store and at Phoenix Comicon. We raised $608 from sales of the donated comics in 2011, and more in year’s past, so this project continues to benefit Kids Need to Read year after year.”
Ms. Gary gave context for the donation by Help Nathan Buy Firefly/Unstoppable Signals.They “won our respect by standing tall when their Help Nathan Buy Firefly project gathered over a hundred thousand followers on their Facebook page virtually overnight, leaving many viral onlookers dumbfounded. When it was made clear their project could not move forward, the group leaders were determined to use their momentum for something positive. They encouraged their followers to send donations to KNTR, from which we received $3,736. Help Nathan Buy Firefly then sponsored a t-shirt design contest, with all proceeds from t-shirt sales sent directly to Kids Need to Read. The t-shirt project provided an additional $472 for KNTR. We were so impressed with the integrity of the HNBF leaders and appreciated how respectfully we were treated during their hectic times.”
“Nathan Fillion FANS,” Ms. Gary explained, “have run a fundraising drive for Kids Need to Read over the past two years in honor of KNTR Co-founder Nathan Fillion’s birthday. In total, they have raised $3,795 for our organization. It is an honor to work with Nathan Fillion FANS, as KNTR evolved from a similar group of Fillion supporters.”
KNTR has donated books to public libraries, school libraries, church libraries, and other organizations in Alabama, Arizona, Arkansas, California, Colorado, the District of Columbia, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Montana, Nebraska, Nevada, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, Tennessee, Texas, Washington, and Wyoming. In Alabama, Anniston City High School, Tenth Street Elementary School, and the Madison Public Library received books.
In Arizona, the Sam Garcia Western Avenue Library, Paragon Science Academy, Rhodes Junior High School, ASU Preparatory Academy; Child & Family Resources, Inc.; The Southwest Autism Research & resource Center (SAARC); Salt River Valley Sigma Alpha Epsilon Alumni Association; Sedona Charter School Middle School; the Phoenix and Tempe Campuses of Children First Academy; Odyssey Preparatory Academy; Lyons Elementary School; and Sonoran Science Academy received books.
In Arkansas, Augusta High School, Rural Special School, and Friends of the Timberwolves, Inc. received books. In California, the Encintas Community Library, Potter Junior High School, Camp Clinton B. Afflerbaugh, two campuses of The New City School, VIP Community Mental Health Center, the Moreno Valley Public Library, Dignity Housing West, Monarch Academy, St. Martin de Porres School, Camp Glenn Rockey, El Dorado Elementary School, Sutro Elementary School, and Columbia Middle School received books.
In Colorado, Rocky Mountain Youth Academy and Cedar Creek Day Treatment Center received books. In Florida, Loughman Oaks Elementary School and the Lake County Library System received books. In Georgia, J.S. Pate Elementary School and Macon County Middle School received books.
In Kapaa, Hawaii St. Catherine School received books. In Chicago, Lloyd Elementary School and Nixon Elementary School received books, and in Normal, Illinois, Fairview Elementary School received books.
In Indiana, Special Spaniels Therapy Dogs, Inc. and Oakland City-Columbia Township Public Library received books; in Kansas, Eudora Middle School, Eudora West Elementary School, The SEK Learning Center, and Greensburg High School received books; in Kentucky, the Nelson County Public Library and the West Point Independent Schools received books; in Louisiana, Friends of the New Orleans Public Library received books on behalf of five NOPL facilities; and in Maine, the Cathedral School in Portland and the Scarborough Public Library received books.
In Baltimore, Maryland, Maritime Industries Academy #431 received books. In Northampton, Massachusetts, Smith Vocational & Agricultural High School received books.
In Detroit, Michigan, Dossin Elementary/Middle School, Golightly Educational Center, and Jerry L. White Center High School received books. In Redford, Michigan, Washington Parks Academy received books.
In Minnesota, the Mainstreet School of Performing Arts and Willow River High School both received books; in Mississippi, West Clay Elementary School received books; in Montana, St. Labre Indian Catholic School received books; in Nebraska, Girls Incorporated of Omaha received books; in Nevada, Robert O. Gibson Middle School received books; in New Jersey, Beers Street Middle School, Foster & Adoptive Family Services Foundation, and New Brunswick High School received books; in New Mexico, the Questa Public Library received books; and, in New York, African Refuge, Inc. received books.
In North Carolina, the Freedom Regional Library, East McDowell Junior High School, and Carter G. Woodson Public Charter School received books. In North Dakota, the Standing Rock Youth Services Center and Glenburn Public School both received books.
In Ohio, Junior League of Akron, Mad River Lions Club, the East Cleveland Public Library, ASL Advocates, the Euclid Public Library, and the Normal Memorial Library received books. In Eugene, Oregon, the River Road/Santa Clare Volunteer Library received books.
In Pennsylvania, Adelphoi Village, Focus on Renewal (FOR), and Mature Cradle, Inc. received books. In Puerto Rico, Boringquen Bilingual School & Sport Development Center received books and in Rhode Island Bernard F. Norton Elementary School received books.
In Tennessee, the following organizations received books: Bulls Gap School, Dalewood Middle School, Dawn School, Eagleville Bicentennial Public Library, Collegiate School of Memphis, and Alpine Crest Elementary School. In Texas, the following organizations received books: American YouthWorks Charter School, Austin Public Library’s Gardner Betts Juvenile Justice Center, Austin Shelter for Women and Children, Parkland High School, Jericho City Church of God in Christ, Lubbock County Juvenile Justice Center, and San Antonio State Hospital.
In Washington, D.C. the Martin Luther King, Jr. Memorial Library and other facilities of the District of Columbia Public Library received books. In Washington State, the following organizations received books: Dick Scobee Elementary School, Susan Wilbur Early Education Center, Rowena Chess Elementary School, Valley Family Medicine, North Public Health Clinic, Odessa Brown Children’s Clinic, and Valley Christian School. In Wyoming, Wyoming Youth ChalleNGe Program in Guernsey, Wyoming received books.
On December 26, 2011, Executive Director Gary reported National Home Library Foundation has awarded KNTR a $2,020 grant toward Reading Revolution, KNTR’s pilot program aimed at increasing literacy rates and decreasing dropout rates among middle school students. KNR and Arizona State University (ASU) have been working together with ASU Preparatory Academy to develop the program, which started in September.
KNTR has used the National Home Library Foundation funds to purchase hardcover class sets of twelve titles for English language arts literacy circles.“The books will help inspire students to overcome adversity and to seek peaceful resolutions to conflicts, while correlating to their studies of World War II during social studies classes.”
National Home Library Foundation Executive Director Joan Sahlgren, said, “Board members were happy to hear about your dedication to teaching middle school children peaceful conflict resolution and about overcoming adversity”.
The books will be paired up by theme similarities at two different reading levels. ASU Preparatory Academy English teacher Andrea Enger described the goals of this particular unit of study. “Students will choose a pair of books to read. They will start out with an easier read to get a feel for the symbols, motif or theme represented. Students will then move on to a harder book that has similar symbols, motifs, or themes. This will serve as an outstanding exercise for their brains: How is survival depicted in one novel as opposed to the other? What are ways the characters in both books overcame adversity? Does a rose always mean the same thing when presented in literature?”
KNTR is receiving additional grant funding to continue developing Reading Revolution. The organization states on its Web site, “Future plans call for the expansion of this pilot program throughout the U.S. in middle schools seeking to inspire their students with cutting-edge approaches to literacy improvement and reduced dropout rates.”
“What you do is so important. Literacy lifts us all up,” saidJoan Sahlgren. The Reading Revolution Program Partners are ASU, ASU Preparatory Academy, Arizona Diamondbacks, Avnet Contributions Council, Carus Publishing, National Home Library Foundation, and Skype Limited.
Comments