[Bookstoprisoners] tasks

[Sandra Ahten]

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to let you know how things are going. This was Barbara's
assessement of our situation today -- "It's always something: sometimes we
don't have enough books, but we have enough money, sometimes enough money --
but not enough volunteers, sometimes enough volunteers, but not enough
letters ready to be processed."

Well today and last week -- it is not enough money -- contrary to my
optimism about our financial situation in the past. I still can't give you a
report, because I don't have a computer program where all the expense and
income is showing. But we had tremendous shipping expenses in Sept and Oct
that I just reimbursed. In addition Amazon slowed down for awhile. But
anyway bottom line is that we have about $700 after we have paid our bills.
I realize this is not the glorious picture I had painted -- but it is a lot
more than we have had this close to any other books sale -- and we have not
been without  supplies, postage expense and anything else that we have
needed... so all in all... it is good news.

Amazon is picking up a bit now and with our upcoming book sale and romp
stomp slam jam... It think we'll still be fine to hire the coordinator. If
anyone has any reservations about that they can email me or call a meeting
about it. I'm open to discussing it.

A slowing down of book donations was one of the reason that Amazon sales
slowed down.
My hope is that one of the first jobs of the coordinator will be to contact
student organizations -- s/he will be able to recruit them for book sending
and also for having a book drive. A book drive will result in books to sell
(as well as ship).

**** A couple of other quick things.

--I should have the worker/volunteer schedule on our website very soon. I'll
let you know when I get it done.

-- I got feed back from a couple of IMC folks, who think that the
coordinator job desription read like a "volunteer coordinator" -- which is
the way we originally framed it. Does anyone have a problem with it being
called "volunteer coordinator?" It hasn't been posted yet, but I plan on
doing it on Sunday.

-- Susan B and Jamie have volunteered to be 2 of 3 people needed for the
"hiring team." Who else is willing?

-- Will someone designate a bookshelf for our "reference" shelf and make a
nice sign for it in our work room?

--All the items that need special priced for the sale are organized... but
still need priced. Could you do this?

-- I was a Midwest Pages to Prisoners project in Bloomington Indiana last
week. They display all of the art and poetry that is sent to them in
sheet-protectors in a 3 ring binder. Would someone get that together for us?
We could display it upstairs in the IMC library.

-- I bought a book called "The Survival Guide." It is written by California
prisoners and published by "Friends" (Quakers). It is about surviving the
mental and physical torture of living in SHU (Secure Housing Unit). That is
what California calls places like Tamms and Pontiac. Can someone take the
time to copy it, so that we can easily run it through our copy machine.
There was a guy who volunteered recently who had access to unlimited copies,
if he steps forward perhaps we could have him make us several hundred.

Well, that's all for now. Thanks for all the volunteers who have been
putting in so many hours. We are through the backlog of letters from New
York... we just received a backlog from Indiana... but as for as answering
the requests sent to BtP we are answering September letters now. Good job!

Would love to see you this Saturday! Bring a friend!
Sandra









-- 
Sandra Ahten
The Reasonable Diet
Group Facilitator / Program Author/
Professional Diet Motivation Expert
http://www.reasonablediet.com
217-367-6345
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