2006 News Archive from the Texas Unit

Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust gives to support Midland ISD
Midland, Texas- The Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust contributed $2,000 to support area schools with Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®) memberships and equipment to help students who cannot effectively read standard print.

RFB&D's Learning Through Listening® program targets students with learning disabilities, dyslexia, visual impairment, and physical disabilities that make reading standard textbooks difficult or impossible. The contribution will provide specialized playback equipment, computer software, RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD, and training to assure their success with the program.

The Helen Greathouse Charitable Trust will present RFB&D board member of Midland, Texas, Reagan Lynch with the donation in an event at the Petroleum Club. The funds will target economically disadvantaged schools in the Midland Independent School District. RFB&D's outreach coordinator, Christina Ashing, will be contacting the schools eligible for the program. There are an estimated 160,000 students in Texas who could benefit from RFB&D.

San Felipe Lions Club gives to schools in Del Rio
Del Rio, Texas- San Felipe Lions Club contributed $2,402.47 to support area schools with Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®) memberships and equipment to help students who cannot effectively read standard print.

RFB&D's Learning Through Listening® program targets students with learning disabilities, dyslexia, vision impairment, and physical disabilities that make reading standard textbooks difficult or impossible. The Del Rio contribution will provide specialized playback computer software, RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD, and training to assure their success with the program.

The San Felipe Lion's Club gift will target the following schools in Del Rio: The Little School House, Sacred Heart School, St. James Episcopal, and San Felipe Del Rio ISD. RFB&D's outreach coordinator, Shelly Oakley, will be contacting the schools eligible for the program. There are an estimated 160,000 students in Texas who could benefit from RFB&D.

Lola Wright Foundation
Austin, Texas- The Lola Wright Foundation contributed $15,806.04 to support the transition of eleven Central Texas Schools and co-ops from cassette players and analog books on cassette to Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic's® (RFB&D®) Audioplus® digitally recorded textbooks on CDs and specialized CD players.

The funds will help schools with the costs of updating to digital playback equipment and will allow them to easily transition to the new format. Digital formats are more cost effective and provide more benefits to the student. RFB&D plans to be in all digital formats by July 2007.

The Regional Unit of Texas completed another fantastic production year!
At the end of our fiscal year (June 30, 2006), the Texas Unit successfully produced 5,770 recorded hours of material. This was a five percent increase above last year’s amount. A total of 223 textbooks were recorded from the unit as well. It is with the hard work of our volunteers and their extra dedication during our Record-A-Thons, plus our “extra push” weeks at the end of the months that allowed our unit to exceed our goal. Next year’s goal of 6,000 hours will be a challenge, but one that our volunteers and staff are looking forward to achieving and once again exceeding!

RFB&D participates in the First Annual 300 Austin Charity Bowl with KUT
RFB&D and KUT called themselves the Radio Flyers (l to r): Bob Hemby, KUT Business Manager; Bill Phillips, RFB&D Volunteer; Todd Lessig, RFB&D Volunteer; Will Leon, KUT Public Relations; Hawk Mendenhall, KUT Program Director. Thank you, Radio Flyers, for bowling on behalf of RFB&D!

Volunteers of RFB&D teamed up with KUT to bowl in 300 Austin’s First Annual Charity Bowl on Sept 7. More than 10 other teams of local media and nonprofit organizations attended the event to help 300 Austin celebrate their new “bowling experience” renovations. RFB&D and KUT bowled a 516 and won $300. RFB&D would like to thank KUT for partnering with us and 300 Austin for hosting the event!

Verizon Foundation Grant
Verizon Foundation gave The Regional Unit of Texas a grant to benefit economically disadvantaged schools in the Dallas/Fort Worth area. Thank you Verizon! Read the press release in a PDF or Word format!

RFB&D Wins $1,000 and 100 Hours of Volunteer Service!
Starbucks of Arboretum Market chose RFB&D as their partner in a race with eight other teams of Austin-area Starbucks and organizations/schools to buy the most 1lb. bags of coffee. RFB&D and Starbucks of Arboretum Market won the contest with the purchase of 100lbs. of coffee. Starbucks will donate $1,000 and the eight Starbucks Assistant Managers will provide 100 hours of volunteer service at RFB&D. The race was intended to last until Sept. 24, but our team was so far ahead that we were proclaimed the winners on Sept. 11. RFB&D would like to thank the staff, volunteers, and friends who purchased coffee to help our team win! Thank you to Starbucks of Arboretum for choosing RFB&D!

Download our Newsletter, The Playback 2006