[Bookstoprisoners] matchmaking

[Sandra Ahten]

We had a prisoner request names and addresses of game manufacturers. I did a 
google on game manufacturer sources and got a website that had a Q&A format 
from this guy telling about how to get a game manufactuered or how to do it 
yourself. I printed out the info... but then, I thought, what the hell... 
I"ll just email him. This is what I said:

>Tom, You don't know me. I'm a coordinator of a books to prisoners program 
>based in Illinois. Occasionally we get requests for books that I can't 
>fill... but I find some info on the net to send to the prisoner.
>
>We have recently had a request from a prisoner in Arizona requesting 
>addresses of "Manufacturing Game companies". I am sending him copies of 
>your Q. & A. "I have an idea for a new board game..." from the silcom 
>website.
>
>Of course he has very few resources and no access to the net.
>
>I know there is little hope that he could ever get a game manufactured... 
>but sometime just the hope and some encouragement can make a life or death 
>differnce to a person in prison.
>
>I wondered if you might write him, or send him a book. Correspondence with 
>someone with the same interest is invaluable.
>
>I bet you hadn't thought about the prison population is a huge gaming 
>population. Chess of course being the one I hear of the most. Followed by 
>scrabble. They of course make their own game boards and pieces etc.
>
>I bet there are plenty who have invented their own game.
>
>Anyway, if you want...
>
>his address is...
>Chris Martinez
>158183/ B3-B-22
>PO Box 4000/Eyman
>Florence ZA 85232

HERE WAS HIS REPLY:

Hi, Sandra. I actually have a big "Games Quarterly" magazine from 2004 that
I could send him; it's got the addresses of about 500 game companies and a
listing of the products they make, so it might be a good reference for
Chris. In addition, there's an excellent book out there on game design that
I could pick up next time I'm in the bookstore (or buying junk from Amazon)
that he would find very informative. I don't know what limitations there are
to sending stuff to prisons, but there aren't any staples in this magazine;
it's got a glue binding.

Tom

How cool is that?