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
July/August 2005
"What Muggles Read"
Potterpaloozathon-O-Mania!
Harry Potter came to town,
Riding on a broomstick.
Stuck a feather in our cap
And called us minor wizards.
By now even those of us who spent the last month living in a cave have experienced the magic of Potterpalooza '05. On Saturday, July 16, the studio was filled with dedicated Harry Potter fans and other folks who wanted to help out – and they did! Through the modern alchemy of digital recording, and with the dedication of more than 70 volunteers, our studio and Headquarters turned the latest Potter tome (662 pages) into sound in a matter of hours! Two days later we were shipping CD's out to the more than 900 students who have requested them so far. (645 Telex Scholar CD players were also sold through this event.) Many thanks to all our studio magicians!
More Light Summer Reading
Two other behemoths bit the dust recently. The first was everybody's favorite: "Federal Estate and Gift Taxes: Code and Regulations Including Related Income Tax Provisions as of March 1, 2004." This uber-law book finally succumbed under the non-stop barrage of law readers Barbara Brown, Charles Meuse, Joe Jacobs, John Madden, Barbara Stoop, Winston Kirton, Lea Nicholson, Mike Logalbo and Gordon Griffin – who produced about 180 hours of audio among them. Barbara Brown read so much of this book that she's now getting job offers from H&R Block! Many thanks also to everyone who TOC tooled, directed, checked, corrected, duplicated or otherwise battled this monster. (Flat tax, anyone?)
The recent demise of "Anatomy and Physiology" has also been greeted with sighs of relief among certain volunteers, particularly its Readers: Jerry Freedman, David Frost, Jim Hastings, Bob Jackson, Lois Kotkoskie, Mindy Langer, Ann Laughlin, Robin Mockenhaupt, Rose Marie Proietti, and Harvey Rothberg. (Now have we got an Anatomy book for you!)
A Note From Jessie
As we wrap up fiscal year '05, I just wanted to send out a BIG THANK YOU and CONGRATULATIONS to our volunteers! You significantly surpassed our recorded hours goal of 8,000 for the year. We ended with a whopping 8,733 hours! This is an amazing feat considering all of the changes to the production process we rolled out this year. We could not have achieved this record number without the hard work and adaptability of our volunteers and staff. I am looking forward to a year of stability (fingers crossed!), beginning work on the many projects we have planned for this year, and achieving our FY06 recorded hours goal of 9,200.
Cheers,
Jessie
A Letter From a Student
It was very nice to hear from former Princeton Studio Director Amy Steinmetz recently. Amy is now Executive Director of the 20/200 Fellowship, an independent resource center for the blind & visually impaired in Pt. Salerno, Florida. The following letter is from Amy's intern:
To the Volunteers and Staff of RFB&D,
My name is Ashley Skellenger, and I've been using RFB&D since high school. I am a senior at Florida Atlantic University in Boca Raton, working toward my bachelors in social work. I'm planning to attend graduate school, so I'll be relying on your services for a while to come. I wanted to write and thank you for the work that you do, and for your time and dedication. It means so much to me that I have such a great resource available to me throughout college. Having so many textbooks in accessible format saves a lot of time and worry. I know some of the books aren't very interesting (I've had to read some too unfortunately lol), but I really appreciate those who take the time to read. Thank you so much, you are all an awesome group of people.
Ashley Skellenger
Hobe Sound, Florida Staff News
It looks like Executive Director Stephanie Campbell is staying with us – she and husband Ty have bought a home in Hamilton! (Previously, Stephanie was driving in from Upper Darby, PA, a 90 minute trip on good days. Now it's a mere _ hour (it would be less, except for Route 1.) Thanks to all the volunteers and staff who offered house hunting advice. Now Stephanie is looking for tips on decorating and gardening!
Venit, Vidit, Vicit
He came, he saw, he conquered. Now former staff member James Butera is pursuing a career in environmental science – which means more school, and a full-time internship for a water quality consulting firm in Pennsylvania. While here James certainly improved the environment at the studio with his competence and willingness to take on any task assigned to him. We wish him the best of luck!
Job Openings
In a related development, the studio is looking for a full-time Assistant Production Director. Please see the many announcements posted around the studio.
Sandi Wilson is posting the following announcement: Administrative Assistant needed for a wide variety of duties in support of the administrative and financial development activities of this nonprofit organization. Provide support for all aspects of office operations. Bookkeeping skills, familiarity with MS Office Pro environment, database programs. Knowledge of donor management databases, e.g. Raisers Edge, a plus. Excellent verbal and written skills required. Part-time (20 hours per week). Flexible schedule. Respond with resume and salary requirements to RFB&D New Jersey Unit, 69 Mapleton Road, Princeton, NJ 08540.
When he isn't laboring at the studio Tony Gruenewald is often writing poetry. One of Tony's poems appears in the latest issue of U.S. 1 (dated 7/27), on page 39. Another can be found online, at http://www.identitytheory.com/verse/gruenewald_vacancy.php. Tony has also recently published work in Exit 13 and Up and Under, two literary journals.
Fan Mail
A Reader writes: "Dear Newsletter, I just love the new fans in booths 1-5; I can now read for a full 2 hours session without melting down to a stinking puddle of goo. Thank you, Studio!" Well, we should all thank Jessie for finding the fans, and Technical Wizard Fred Vanozzi for installing them. Fred will soon complete the installation of fans in booths 6-12. The fans have a simple on/off switch on the back, and can be swiveled vertically and horizontally. Enjoy!
Volunteer News
Summer time and the living is easy – particularly when you're on vacation. As was Larry Epstein, during his recent one week Mediterranean cruise with his wife. Carol Galuskin just returned from 10 days in Paris and Positano, Italy. Cindy Mooney spent the last two weeks under a Tuscan sun. Careening through the Swiss Alps on a rented motorcycle for 10 days was ("Mad") Mike Logalbo. Jerry Monastersky is currently on a nine-day trip visiting Canada's Glacier National Park and Banff National Park. Also in Canada recently was Felicia Powell, qui a passé une semaine a la ville de Quebec et Montreal. George Vella-Coleiro has been visiting family in his native country, Malta. The Ragavan family (Chet, Savi, Preeta and Kavita – all volunteers here) just returned from two weeks of family visits in India. Lou Jerome recently spent 10 days in Hawaii with his family. Rose Marie Proietti (a.k.a "The Cookie Lady") is in the middle of a five week cruise that will take her to Newfoundland, Iceland, Greenland, Norway, Netherlands, France, UK and Ireland. (Fortunately, she left enough goodies behind that we'll probably survive her vacation!) Donna Fertel is also on a cruise – to Bermuda. Anne Young recently visited her daughter in Oregon, and her son and first grandchild, Cameron, in Scotland. Congratulations, Anne!
Julia Bernheim is featured in the latest Earthwatch Institute annual report. A veteran of 13 Earthwatch expeditions, Julia remarked, "Our efforts really make a difference, and that's what keeps me coming back." By the way, Julia just returned from British Columbia – but this time it was with Elderhostel. Another volunteer who's combined travel with caring is Caroline Wylie, who recently completed a 500 mile bike ride to raise money for Anchor House, a Trenton-based organization for runaways and abused children. Caroline was one of about 170 riders who completed the trip from McHenry, MD, to Trenton in just one week. In the process they raised over $400K.
A painting by Bill Kastan has won first prize in the Middlesex County Men's Senior Division 200 cm Brushstroke, with a winning time of 4 or 5 hours. Go see it at the East Brunswick Senior Center on Ryder Lane before August 12.
New volunteers since our June issue include: Linda and Mathew Alpert, Erin Bailey, Florence Belding, Becca and Cathie Castagnola, Pradnya Chaudhari, Dominique Dorman, Megan and Virginia Finley, Bonnie Gunzelman, Fredy Irizarri, Gowri Karnum, Judith Levy, Teddy Pavlin, Tania Pierce, Kathy Skolnik, Leon Skowrinski, Joel Skyzer, Helene Starr, Richard Telofski, Tobi Weiss, Phil White and Jade Wolk. Welcome!
Congratulations to our new General Reader, Marv Schuldiner, and to new Math I Reader Bob Ferlauto. And congrats to Karen Checchio, who was just elected president of the Franklin Township Lions Club!
The studio's Board of Directors has three new members: Thomas K. Brown, Janet Nagourney and Rose Marie Proietti (who, at three mentions in one issue, breaks the newsletter's record!) Mr. Brown's daughter Kathryn is a Member who has spoken about her experiences with RFB&D recordings before the Putnam Society. Ms. Nagourney is a CPA, a member of the NJ Lions Club and wife of longtime Chemistry Reader Stuart Nagourney. And Rose Marie at this point needs no further introduction, except that she's been a Medical Reader at the studio for years. Welcome a'Board!
Production Notes
We hate to nag, but:
! Directors – please remember to record the starting times of all figures. This makes the Checker's job a lot easier! Edits should also be recorded – with a single slash and the time in the margin.
! Directors – please remember to fill out the yellow worksheet completely after each file is completed and when the session is over.
Wrappapalooza
Some events are so stupendously life changing that we have to advertise them months in advance! Mark your calendars for Dec. 2, because that's when Wrappapalooza breaks out. This is our annual book wrapping extravaganza at the local Barnes & Noble bookstore, where we raise money and awareness of RFB&D. Sandi Wilson is looking for a lucky person (or persons!) to organize this year's event. Please contact her at 750-9579. .
Also be aware of our Learning Through Listening Hour at 9 a.m. on the first Wednesday of the month. These are great opportunities to introduce new people to all RFB&D has to offer. So if you know anyone who might be interested in learning more about us, please tell them about these sessions, and have them contact Stephanie Campbell or Sandi Wilson. Thank you. (OK, Sandi – you tied the record.)
– HAVE A GREAT MONTH! –
Editor: Mike Casserly
Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic
New Jersey Unit
69 Mapleton Road
Princeton, NJ 08540
609-750-1830
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