Raymond Gonis, RIFSoCal’s long time volunteer extraordinaire, is our new Warehouse Manager!
Raymond’s warehouse and security background provide the exact skills we need as we grow into our expanded space and prepare to serve 100,000 children in 2010-2011 – that means ordering, unpacking, shelving and distributing over 300,000 new, free books of choice - an amazing challenge. For those of you who haven’t seen him in action, Raymond makes John Henry look lazy. Raymond is quite simply, the best!
We invite all of our friends and supporters to watch us continue to grow, as we launch our 200,000 Dreams Campaign to reach 200,000 children each year by 2016.
RIFSoCal is movin’ on up!
Open Sesame!
Because we reached our 100,000 Dreams Campaign goal, we are expanding in order to serve over 100,000 children during the 2010-2011 school year!
Raymond looks back into the old space
Workers are creating a magical habitat for thousands of books which are just waiting to be chosen by RIFSoCal kids.
Going for it!
The renovations are coming along. Bursting through the wall with enthusiasm, John quickly works his magic. Our offices are now connected to the new space with a walk through doorway.
Carol in the new doorway
The books are all packed up, the bookcases almost ready, and it’s almost time to move. Keep checking back, it’s going to change quickly now!
Please Dream with us! We cannot realize our 200,000 Dreams Campaign without you!
The Transformation starts! Look at those gorgeous bookcases! We can’t wait to fill them with beautiful books.
Brand new Bookshelves are arranged before being bolted in place.
Bookshelves are all painted white with a RIF blue wall behind them.
Mina Javaherbin
With Futbol fever high as the international competition for the World Cup escalates, we are proud to showcase our new board member, author Mina Javaherbin, and her recently published book on soccer,
Goal! Mina is a self proclaimed ‘world citizen.’ She was born in Iran and has immigrated to the United States. She searches for stories which appeal to our universal humanity, seen though the drive and laughter of children as they pursue each
Goal!
Okay, you might say, another book on soccer…but open up the cover and Goal! will take your breath away. The protagonists are South African boys with a dream and a prized “federation-size football.” They embody the human spirit of optimism and hope. Children from any culture can relate and revel in the boys’ dream, the thrill of the game, and the enduring camaraderie of best friends.
In her Author’s Note, Mina tells us, “In South Africa, the people affectionately call their national football team
Bafana Bafana, ‘the boys.’ Here in this alley, we join a group of friends as they embrace the spirit of soccer. They play to stay connected. They play to stay children. They play to stay human. But mostly, they play to play.”
Please Dream with us! We cannot realize our 200,000 Dreams Campaign without you!
