[Peace-discuss] Re: [Peace] Books to Prisoners holiday alternative gift program

[Jenifer Cartwright]

Hi Barbara,
   
  I'm happy to put a check in the mail for this worthy cause. I don't remember if y're still collecting books, or if you've got more of those than you can handle at present.
   
  Btw, I forward and receive (political) emails from one of my college roommates (Fran Sears) who wonders if y're the Barbara Kessel who used to live in Iowa City (where she got her master's in creative writing). After Iowa City, Fran moved to Chgo and worked for decades in the UIC library, then retired a few years ago and moved to Manchester, MI (nice town where her sister lived). She is rehabbing yet another very old house and giving a home to a large and constantly increasing number of stray and strange cats.
   
  Is it time for another DVD? I've got a couple of good ones, if folks are interested. I'll send out an invitation soon.
   
  Jenifer 

Barbara kessel <barkes at gmail.com> wrote:
  Dear Supporter of Books to Prisoners,

We would like to share a letter we received a month ago from a
prisoner in the Illinois Department of Corrections--exactly as it was
written,

"To whom it many concern:

First and foremost, I'd like to thank God for you and your program.
Doing time isn't easy and inmates are usually shunned by those who are
free. When I heard about your program, it sounded almost too good to
be true.

I have been incarcerated 7 years, am 42 years old, and had never read
a novel when I was free. Now I can't keep my hands off them! Reading
is not only an escape, it is a way of upgrading my mind to learn new
things that will keep me out of this place and help me be a productive
member of society. With 8 1/2 years left, my dream has become clear to
me. My goal is to publish a book, while incarcerated. Having a dream
gives my life purpose. The inmate who gave me your address raved
about your program."

Then the prisoner asked for five books, one of which we had in our
collection. For the other four, we made substitutions from our donated
library.

Our books go out to prisoners all over the state of Illinois and stock
the county jails here in Champaign County for exactly the reasons this
prisoner cited, so that inmates can read to escape, to upgrade their
minds, and to build a dream. There is one more reason: to affirm that
prisoners are still part of a community that has not forgotten them.

Since 2004 we have sent over 19,800 books in 4900 boxes to 3000 inmates!

Our mission is only possible because of people like you who send us
money for postage, attend our book sales, donate books and volunteer
to select and pack books. For the holidays, we appeal to you to either
send us a $ donation or give money on behalf of someone you would like
to honor with this gift. We will send them a brochure about our
program and an attractive handwritten acknowledgement of the gift.

You can do this by filling out the form on the back of this sheet
sending it with a check to Books to Prisoners, P.O. Box 515, Urbana,
Il 61803 or by sending through Paypal by going to our link on the
website, http://www.books2prisoners.org/

Thank you from all the volunteers for all that you have done and are
doing for reading, for prisoners, and for our larger community. Happy
Holidays to You and Yours!



Keystaff at Books to Prisoners, Independent Media Center
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