2007 News Archive from the Texas Unit

Unit Undergoes Expansion, Name Change

AUSTIN, TX – Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic®, (RFB&D®), announced expansion of its unit in Texas to cover Oklahoma & Arkansas with the intent to reach the potential 44,000 students with disabilities that make it difficult to read standard print in the these two states. In the past, memberships were available in these states through the organization’s headquarters in Princeton, NJ, but the expansion will enhance the service with placement of staff and volunteer development in major areas in all three states.

An expected five new staff members, including state directors, will be hired beginning Jan. 2008 to support RFB&D’s Learning Through Listening® Program, which has been proven to increase content acquisition reading scores by 38 percent (John Hopkins University study). The new educational outreach coordinators will train teachers and students on how to use the playback equipment for RFB&D’s AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD, promote the program, and find funding for school memberships.

The unit, formerly known as The Regional Unit of Texas, expanded staff in 2006 and grew its member base from 12,000 to 20,000. “The success of reaching more students in Texas in one year is proof that the need and potential to reach more students is there in the new states,” said Lil Serafine, Regional Executive Director since 2000. “Having staff in eight major cities helped us reach students in 224 counties in Texas, a 60 percent increase from when we only had outreach in San Antonio, Austin, & Dallas.”

The expansion is part of the regionalization effort to serve one million with print disabilities with RFB&D products and services by 2010.

The Regional Unit of Texas Held Two Celebration Events in May

The North Texas Region held it's first Celebration picnic on May 1st at the Center for Community Cooperation in the Meadow's District Oak Room in Dallas. There were about sixty people in attendence as Cooper Alexander, RFB&D member, spoke about his love of the program and how much it has helped him fulfill his education. More than $35,000 was raised in pledges and one time gifts.

The South Central Region also held its first Celebration Breakfast on May 4th at the Omni San Antonio Hotel. One hundred and sixty people attended and helped raise almost $10,000 in pledges and one time gifts.

Thank you for all who attended these celebration events which help RFB&D fund its programs in these regions. If you have any questions about our events or would like to help with one, please contact Laurie Born by email at lborn@rfbd.org

RFB&D Member Cooper Alexander uses his braille notetaker to read his apeech aloud to the attendees of the Regional Unit of Texas' first celebration event in Dallas.	RFB&D staff traveled to the Dallas Celebration event. From left to right: North Texas Outreach Coordinator, Mary Alexander; Regional Program Director, Ginger Cleveland; Regional Executive Director, Lil Serafine; Midwest Texas Plains Outreach Coordinator, Terrie Oakley; Development Associate, Jenny Lehman; Regional Development Director, Laurie Born

UTSA graduate and RFB&D member Karin Mitchell tells her story at the San Antonio Celebration breakfast about why RFB&D is so important to her and her education.	South Central Outreach Coordinator Shelly Oakley and RFB&D member and 4th grader Jared Nordsy tell the attendees of the San Antonio Celebration Breakfast how the players work and how Jared uses them at school and for homework.

Volunteers Read for the Blind During National Event

Austin, Texas - Volunteers produced a record number of hours of recorded material during National Volunteer Week at the Regional Unit of Texas of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®). The recording studio stayed open longer hours in attempt to double the normal production of RFB&D's AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD for students with print disabilities.

The weeklong event called Record-A-Thon enabled volunteers to produce 280 hours of recorded material in Austin alone. Normal production each week yields 115 hours and the goal for the event was 250. Special theme days, like Monday's Midnight Madness, and food provided by local restaurants encouraged the volunteers to stay longer and exceed the goal. Volunteers in studios across the nation were also working for this cause last week.

About 150 people helped make the event successful, including two celebrity readers from Fox 7 News, Dave Cody, Sports Director and Mike Warren, News Ancor. "Exceeding such a high goal, which was the highest ever for us, helped us realize our potential to record more every week," Cheri Nightingale, Studio Producer, said.

From left to right: RFB&D Studio Producer Cheri Nightingale; Fox 7 News Sports Director Dave Cody; News Anchor Mike Warren and RFB&D Studio Administrator Carter York.	From left to right: RFB&D Volunteer Lynette Barker; Development Director Laurie Born and Development Associate Jenny Lehman dressed up for Way Back Wednesday in celebration of the Regional Unit of Texas's 35th Anniversary.

New RFB&D volunteer opportunity at Rice University!

Houston - The Regional Unit of Texas for Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®) began a new program at Rice University to record audio textbooks with an at-home recording station made possible by the Mitte Foundation in Austin and the Hilda Rich Circle of Giving at Rice. Faculty, staff and students can now be trained to read and record audio textbooks in the Fondren Library on campus.

Rice University graduate student and former RFB&D studio volunteer, Jordan Miller, is leading the program, recruiting volunteers and setting up the recording station. An orientation and training session on March 12 at 5:30 p.m. in Lovett Lounge is the first step to becoming a part of the program. Almost 50 people attended a February meeting and six were trained as core volunteers in the studio in Austin. These will continue to recruit and train new volunteers to be sure the recording station is fully utilized.

There are currently three other at-home recording stations in Texas in private homes. The location of this new station at Rice will allow Texas to achieve its 6,000 recorded hours goal. "This statellite production intiative at Rice University will be a very valuable means of support for the recording of audio materials for RFB&D members," Bernice Shapiro, Manager, National Production, Training & Support, said. "We look forward to a successful program at Rice University."



Cheri Nightingale, RFB&D TX Unit Studio Producer, and Jordan Miller, Graduate Student Association (GSA) President, accept Rice GSA Awards during a luncheon on Friday, May 11th at Rice University. The RFB&D recording studio received its "Friend of Rice Graduate Students Award" after setting up a satellite studio on the Rice University Campus. Jordan Miller received his award and a small stipend for helping to broker the relationship between RFB&D and other Graduate Student volunteers.

35th Anniversary Celebration raises $85,000, honors scholarship winners

Austin, Texas - The Regional Unit of Texas of Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic (RFB&D®) held its 35th Anniversary Celebration luncheon on Friday, Feb. 16. More than 200 volunteers and guests were in attendance at a downtown Austin restaurant as the organization honored past supporters and encouraged community involvement in the organization.

Regional Executive Director, Lil Serafine, described the mission of the organization and announced the successes made over the past 35 years including the expansion of outreach coordinators across Texas. Serafine also introduced Hallie Slaughter, the Texas Unit's founding chair, David Gunn, founding board member, and three of the original volunteers, Betty Evans, Joan Roettinger, and Pat Spurr.

Board member, Michael Singley reminded volunteers and RFB&D supporters how important their work was and explained the importance of monetary donations. The event raised $85,000 in pledges.

The Regional Unit of Texas announced three scholarship awards of $1000. Board chair, Romi Lessig and Headquarters President & CEO, John Kelly introduced two of the winners. Andrea Bolognini, sophomore at Concordia University, and Michelle Nicoud, sophomore at Texas Christian University, spoke about how RFB&D has assisted them in their transition from high school to college and thanked the guests for making RFB&D audiobooks available to them. Samara Rosen, senior at the High School for the Performing and Visual Arts was not in attendance.

The third annual Celebration Luncheon will be held in Austin next February, and events in North Texas and South Central Texas are scheduled for later this spring. Learn more about our scholarship winners.

The Boeing Company gives to students with print disabilities

San Antonio, Texas– The Boeing Company contributed $11,626 to Recording for the Blind & Dyslexic® (RFB&D®) for memberships and equipment to help students who cannot effectively read standard print in Edgewood ISD. The funding will also support RFB&D collaboration with the San Antonio Lighthouse to provide direct services to the students.

Recorded books provide a way for these students to access educational material and help them increase their reading comprehension and retention. The San Antonio Lighthouse will track student participation with the goal of providing a continuum of support throughout middle school, high school and into the workforce.

This is the first time Boeing and the Regional Unit of Texas of RFB&D have partnered to bring the printed word to students with disabilities.

“This is a great opportunity for The Boeing Company to assist one of San Antonio’s low-income school districts in addressing critical learning disabilities for students,” said Dennis Stuart, site leader. “We are excited about this partnership and look forward to hearing all the success stories.”

The funding supports the following schools in Edgewood ISD: Brentwood, E.T. Wren, Gus Garcia, Truman, and John F. Kennedy. The memberships provide specialized playback equipment, computer software, RFB&D’s AudioPlus® digitally recorded textbooks on CD, and training to assure success with the program. As many as 73 students will be able to utilize the resources.