RFB&D-NJ Unit Volunteer Newsletter 3-05 (text)

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Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
New Jersey Unit
69 Mapleton Road
Princeton, New Jersey 08540
Phone 609-750-1830
Fax 609-750-9653

NJ Unit News
March 2005

Vol. 2, No. 2

Mike Casserly, Editor

The Board sent the Unit a Valentine last month, in the form of a new Executive Director. She is Stephanie Campbell, and she will join the organization on Monday, March 7. Currently Director of Development for WYBE, a public television station in Pennsylvania, Ms. Campbell previously held positions with WHYY, the African American Museum in Philadelphia and with WNET in New York. A member of the Association of Fundraising Professionals, she holds a B.A. in Communications from William Paterson University and is completing her M.B.A. at Eastern University in St. Davids, Pennsylvania. Ms. Campbell is a native of New Jersey. Welcome aboard, Stephanie!

In Appreciation

Irv Rabinowitz passed away on February 16 after a six month battle with cancer. Irv first joined the RFB&D family in 1965. He found it to be another rewarding way to share his insatiable thirst for learning and teaching. Through the years he not only served as a reader of the most challenging scientific, mathematical and computer texts, but, along with his wife Sandie, was one of the organization's greatest ambassadors and advocates. Their Herculean efforts in planning for and participating in Record-A-Thons are legendary.

Irv's journey saw him spend time living in India, studying astronomy at the Institute for Advanced Study and teaching computer science at Rutgers University. His love for learning was matched by his love of teaching. He was also someone who embraced the new and had an unshakeable confidence about the future. His greatest gift, though, may have been his infectious zest for life. The RFB&D family already misses Irv's contributions to the organization, his friendship and his joy of living.
-- Tony Gruenewald

We recently got this note from Sandie Rabinowitz:

My family and I are very appreciative for your ongoing support during Irv's illness and for the overwhelming expressions of a sense of loss and love for Irv. He was a great guy; just plain old Irv with a hand in the cookie jar.

Love, Sandie

Production Notes

Second copy markers must double-check each page to be sure everything has been copied correctly. We recently have had to re-record several files due to missing/confusing bookmarking.

Checkers – please remember to SMIL files that don't need any corrections. If you don't know how to SMIL a file please see staff. If you do SMIL a file please remember to record this on the yellow worksheet. This information is very important to the people in post production.

Directors – if you are beginning in the middle of a file please listen to the last 5 seconds recorded by the previous Reader. Sometimes there is dead air or conversation left by the previous Reader/Director. (We wouldn't want the student to hear what you are planning on having for lunch!) If you find such a problem, back the recording up again to an appropriate spot and record from there.

Readers – please remember that any bookmarking within parentheses is not to be read aloud. These are navigational hints for you, such as "(EOF)". Thus, if you see "(MN1)" that means to go to Margin Note 1. When you get to Margin Note 1 you will see "MN(1)". You say aloud, "margin note," but omit the 1. (The 1 is there simply to help you distinguish this margin note from another. The student only cares that it's a margin note, not how many there are on that page.)

More Staff News

Which staff member was captain of the Harvard University wrestling team? Which one has his own recording studio? Inquiring minds want to know! Who was the on-air host for an AM public radio station? And who is a licensed funeral home director?? The answers to these and many other questions will be found in the staff bios soon to be posted in the studio.

Volunteer News

For those of you have offered to take additional voice tests for K-12 or other subjects, we haven't forgotten about you! There was such a great response that it may take a few months to administer and evaluate all the voice tests. We have a list of everyone who has expressed an interest in reading in another area. Staff will approach you as we move through the list.

After a long year of surmounting various health problems, Dee Fenton has returned to the studio. Welcome back, Dee!

Dorothe McGowan is off seeing the Taj Mahal and other great sites during her 16-day tour of India. Julia Bernheim just returned from the Bahamas'Abaco Island, assisting in surveys of dolphins and whales. This was Julia's 13th trip with Earthwatch. Phyllis Branin has returned from 45 days aboard a cargo ship in the Mediterranean. As the ship's only civilian passenger, Phyllis had plenty of time to read "about 20 books" and knit a couple of sweaters. A Force 10 storm as the ship approached Barcelona kept things rolling. Peg and Jim Hastings enjoyed their Audubon Society trip to Guatemala,
Belize and Honduras that also included a visit to Tikal. Barrie Shaw is relaxing this week on a beach in sunny Florida.

We welcome our new volunteers: Aanchal Bhatia, Jackie Blumenfeld, Ellen Brodsky, Dave Carta, Michael Cohen, Sharan Durvasula, Donna Fertel, Mary Ann Fink, David Gonsiorowski, Rob Gorrie, Eleanor Marquis, Chris Morgan, Melissa Straccia and Donald Truss! Carole Robinson is a new volunteer at Headquarters, who got her training here at the studio.

Congratulations to our new readers: Helen Davies, French Literature; James Butera, Patty Cooper, Louise Duus, Robert Fluss and Leslie Jennings, General; Tom Lear and Jennifer Taggart, General Science; Nancy Skalinski, K-8; Barbara Stoop, Law, Anne Burns and Kevin McCarty, Math 1.

Remember those old reel to reel machines we used as doorstops after we converted to digital? It turned out there was quite a market for them at the WBJB FM 8th Annual Guitar Show. The studio recently raised $500 by selling off old recording equipment at the show. We plan to use the money to add additional lighting and fans for the booths. Look for your favorite old SM-99 microphone on EBay soon!

Two Reminders

1) The studio closes when area schools close due to bad weather. In such cases we change the outgoing phone message to alert volunteers and staff. The number is (609) 750-1830, then press 3 for the studio when prompted. Our next scheduled holiday closings will be for Memorial Day – Saturday, May 28 and Monday, May 30.

2) Whenever you need to contact the studio please do so by phone. Our Hotmail account is only for sending out this newsletter. Email to staff at rfbdnj.org is also less efficient than using the phone.

Record-A-Thon is coming!
(See next page for details)

Please see the attached from the Board's Governance Committee

WE NEED YOU!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS:

WE NEED YOUR HELP IN PLANNING OUR

11TH ANNUAL RECORD-A-THON

APRIL 25-30

Once again we are asking for Corporate Sponsorships. We currently have commitments for:
Lead Sponsor @ $15,000 Nassau Broadcasting

Studio Sponsors @ $5,000 Caliper & PSE&G

Other Sponsorships:
Booth Sponsors @ $2,500 The Name will be placed on the booth for the week.

Book Sponsors @ $1,000 (This is an Adopt-A-Text level so the name of the donor will be mentioned at the beginning of the recording of the book.)

Benefactors @ $500

Friends of RFB&D @ $100

Gifts-In-Kind HELP!
Silent Auction Donor: Gift Certificates from your favorite restaurant, Grocery, Florist, Gift Shop, etc., or a bottle of your favorite wine. See Sandi or call 609-750-9579.

Food for Volunteers: Volunteers must keep up their strength, so they must be fed. Contact Rose Marie Proietti (our cookie volunteer) to schedule a date to show off one of your favorite dishes. 609-918-9016.

Coordinate Passover Food : Let's make sure all our volunteers celebrating Passover during Record-A-Thon have some special treats. Contact Rose Marie to be her helper to coordinate kosher foods.

THANKS FOR YOUR HELP!

FEBRUARY 8, 2005

TO: BOARD, STAFF AND VOLUNTEERS

FROM: GOVERNANCE COMMITTEE

RE: BOARD RESPONSE TO SURVEY

First, thank you for taking the time to complete the survey. It is an invaluable tool for us as it gives us the opportunity to hear your views of the RFB&D-NJ Unit and your suggestions for the future.

Jessie has met with many volunteers and responded to production related survey questions. We would like to address other issues about which many of you had concerns such as a succession plan, public awareness, communication between board-staff-volunteers, fundraising and financial reporting.

Succession Plan

We will meet with the new Executive Director and develop a plan with her input. This plan will be discussed at the spring board meetings, thoroughly thought out and communicated to the entire organization.

Public Awareness
Creating statewide advisory councils is a goal of the Governance Committee. The Committee will work with senior staff, especially Outreach, to begin implementation of the councils over the coming year. Sandi Wilson will continue to promote publicity for RFB&D-NJ in the newspapers and on the radio. Our upcoming Record-A-Thon gives us another opportunity to increase awareness, and we ask everyone to fully support this important event.

Communication between board-staff-volunteers
Over the past three months the following actions have been implemented:
Board Meeting Minutes posted at the Unit
Unit financial statements posted at the Unit
Board photos and bios posted at the Unit
Staff photos and bios soon to be posted
Staff newsletter
Executive Committee Meeting Minutes sent to Board

Other information will continue to be posted for all staff and volunteers.

Fundraising/Resources
Together with our Executive Director and Director of Development, we will continue to energetically pursue all sources of funds, including individuals, corporations, foundations, civic organizations, and the Record-a-Thon. The specific goals and strategies for these efforts are detailed in our annual written Development Plan. The Governance Committee affirms the belief that attaining sufficient resources for our organization is the responsibility of everyone within the organization, and welcomes all suggestions, participation and donations.

Financial Reporting
The New Jersey Unit, like all units of RFB&D across the country, operates under the legal, tax and organizational umbrella of the national organization. National's accounting staff processes all our financial transactions, and we receive periodic reports generated by this department. The Finance Committee and senior staff are working with National Headquarters to improve our accounting systems in order to generate reports that communicate our financial activity and condition clearly and concisely, while lessening the paperwork burden on Unit staff. Summary financial information for our Unit is posted, and more detailed information (with the exception of staff-related data such as salaries) is available to anyone who is interested.

New Executive Director
We are excited to welcome Stephanie Campbell, our new Executive Director, and look forward to her leadership to maximize the Unit's capability. We also want you to know your extra effort over the past six months is greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
New Jersey Unit
69 Mapleton Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-750-1830

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