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Proud Media Sponsor of First Book & "Blues
for Books"
FIRST BOOK ST. LAWRENCE COUNTY
Established November 1999 through a partnership with the local St.
Lawrence-Lewis BOCES.
FIRST BOOK
First Book is a national non profit organization founded in 1992 in
recognition of the role played by underdeveloped literacy skills in
social problems: poverty, hunger, unemployment and drug addiction. The
primary goal of First Book is to coordinate ongoing book distributions
with existing community-based tutoring, mentoring and family literacy
programs to distribute brand-new books and educational materials to
children who have little or no access to books.
FIRST BOOK LAB
In each community, First Book establishes a First Book Local Advisory
Board (LAB) comprised of a wide spectrum of volunteer leaders. First
Book LAB members select community tutoring, mentoring and family
literacy programs serving at-risk children and work to support those
programs through book grants, special events in bookstores and national
literacy initiatives.
CRITERIA FOR FIRST BOOKS PROGRAM
Programs working with children complete an application for a book grant
request form. The L.A.B. reviews the information for compliance with
national guidelines:
-- 80% from low-income households.
-- Strong tutoring/mentoring program with literacy component.
-- Children in programs must receive books at least every 8 weeks,
preferably monthly.
WHERE DO THE BOOKS COME FROM?
-- Paid for with funds LAB has raised locally.
-- Through major discounts (45-65%) National Office has negotiated with
major children's book publishers.
-- Funds from matching grants.
NATIONAL PARTNERSHIPS
Several strategic partnerships have been developed in support of First
Book’s national and local efforts. First Book partners foster First
Book’s growth, development and outreach across the country. National
partners include:
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American Library Association
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America Online
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Barnes & Noble
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Baskin Robbins
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Hearst Magazines
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Holiday Inn Express
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Kiwanis International
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Lyrick Publishing
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Mondo Publishing
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National Head Start Association
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Random House
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Scholastic, Inc.
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U.S. Coast Guard
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U.S. Netcom
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Others
LOCAL PARTNERSHIPS
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Your support, and the support of all community members is
critical for the success of First Book in St. Lawrence County. We feel
it is important to build long-term community partnerships.
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You can help by volunteering at a reading function,
delivering books to grant recipients, publicity—spread the word about
First Book and encourage people to become involved, help organize a
fundraiser to support First Book, and/or make a donation to First Book -
St. Lawrence County.
WANT TO BRING THE MAGIC OF BOOKS TO CHILDREN WHO NEED THEM?
You can make a tax-deductible contribution to First Book which will
provide grants to programs for the purchase of books for distribution to children who need them most.
$25 the cost of ten books
$50 the cost of twenty books
$100 the cost of forty books
$250 the cost of one hundred books
Other
($2.50 per book) |
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Blues
for Books Project
Co-sponsor: North Country Council of the International
Reading Assn.
Media Sponsor - VALLEY 96.1 FM
Project
Overview
Blues for Books is a fundraiser event for First Book of St.
Lawrence County. First Book
is the regional affiliate of National First Book, a non-profit
organization supporting family literacy by providing children from
low-income families the opportunity to read and own their new books.
Since 1999, 17 grants (14,000
books, 1,100 children served) were awarded to programs throughout St.
Lawrence County including St. Lawrence County Head Start, Even Start,
Beginning Years, Project Challenge, Storytime for Tots, Gouverneur Reading
Room Association, Potsdam Experimental Pre-K, Colton-Pierrepont Explorers
Program, Jr. Books Literature Circles, Kid Start, and the Jack and Jill
Advantage Program. Blues
for Books will feature five performances by The
Conrad Story Blues Band to take place throughout this spring at
venues in each of the five population centers of St. Lawrence County.
Tickets will go on sale the first week of February. National First Book
will match local funds raised.
Dates
and Venues (Performances
are all on Friday afternoons. Times
vary per venue).
February 15th,
5:00-7:00 p.m. Canton - The
Glass Onion
March 1st,
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Gouverneur - Clearview Restaurant
April 12th,
5:00-7:00 p.m.
Potsdam - Uncle Max's Restaurant
May 3rd,
5:30-7:30 p.m.
Ogdensburg -The Gran-view
June 7th, 5:00-7:00 p.m.
Massena - Coach's Corner 5-7
Tickets
and Donations
Advance Sale tickets may be purchased at each of the
venues and at Northern Music and
Video in Potsdam. Also,
tickets are available from St. Lawrence County First Book Advisory Board
Members and Friends of First Book (contact Rachelle Romoda at First Book
of St. Lawrence Co. - St. Lawrence Lewis BOCES Office, 353-6693, ext. 420,
or Lorraine Gowing 379-9392). Ticket donations will be $5.00 for each
performance or $15.00 for the entire Blues
for Books concert series. Tickets can also be purchased at the door
for each performance.
The Performances
Blues for
Books showcases the talents of the borderland's premiere blues group, The Conrad Story Blues Band.
The band, comprised of veteran musicians Rick "Conrad"
Bates (lead guitar/harp/vocals), Larry Boyette (bass), Jonathan Hunkins
(drums), and Chip Lamson (keyboards/vocals) plays classic
blues tunes from artists such as Howlin'
Wolf Muddy Waters and BB King,
pays tribute to the contemporary
blues of artists like Luther
Allision, Albert Collins, Robert Cray, and plays some great bluesy
tunes by R&B
crossover artists like Eric
Clapton, Gary Moore and Stevie Ray Vaughn.
Sprinkled into each set are Conrad
Story originals, songs that echo the tradition of the "electric
blues."
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