Congratulations, Virginia Beach author Vicky Whipple and Chesapeake illustrator Pamela Barcita. Their children’s picture book, The Little Weed Flower, published by Raven Tree Press is out…soon! I’ve enjoyed working with Vicky as her mentor/editor the last 3 years. Watching Pamela’s artistry and mastery of bringing ideas to life was an honor and a joy.

So run to your nearest Barnes & Noble or Borders and ask for The Little Weed Flower. Support our local author/illustrator team and read a magical story to the special children in your life.

http://www.deltapublishing.com/mediakit.cfm?OPID=5212

Vicky Whipple, author

Pamela Barcita, illustrator

As I stood at the front and watched them, my heart filled with joy to see their bright, curious faces. They listened carefully as I read Little Tucker Two Sticks and had lots of comments, especially about sticks, trees and branches.

A special thank you to Robin, the teachers and everyone for allowing me to come on by. I look forward to another visit when Once Upon Two Prayers gets printed!

25 books sold…25 coloring books will go to kids who need them – in either Haiti, D.R. or Honduras. Thanks!

Emma and Lilly collected over 10,000 pencils at Twin Hickory Elementary in Richmond

My hubby Steve comes from an enormous family made up of people with huge hearts – and they don’t just talk the talk; they walk the walk. His great niece, Joan McMichael, who is technically my niece too even though she’s a year older than I, encouraged her daughters, Emma and Lilly, to collect used coloring pencils to accompany our Haiti coloring books.

The girls attend Twin Hickory Elementary School in Richmond. During the spring of last year, they voiced their requests over the school’s PA system and WOW! The results!! They gathered over 10,000 coloring pencils for the children in Haiti. Lilly even sat on down the day before they were going to give them to me and sharpened every one. She showed me the blisters to prove it, bless her heart.

Thank you as well, Mrs. Karen Callis, first grade teacher at John B. Dey Elementary School here in Virginia Beach. They collected bags and bags and bags  full of pencils at the end of the school year. This is their second year doing so, and they have made a difference to children who don’t have any pencils at all – colored or not.

So far, some of the collected pencils went to Port-au-Prince with Hope for Haiti’s Children, and soon, more will go to other parts of Haiti with a group of missionaries from New York.  Still others went to Dominican Republic. We’ll see what happens to the rest soon. It sure is a bonus and a pleasure for me to give these pencils to groups who order the coloring books.

So thank you, Joan, Emma, Lilly McMichael  and Twin Hickory Elementary School in Richmond! thank you to Mrs. Callis and John B Dey Elementary in Virginia Beach. You’ve set the bar pretty high for other schools and have made a difference, coloring your world with love.

Anne does a beautiful job speaking with these children…I bet they learned as they colored!

13 of us left for Guerra June 19 and returned on June 26. We treated 333 patients in the second floor of the church. The tropical storm and having no electricity in the church did not deter us and the people got a boost of vitamins, medical attention, kindness and respect. With a little fun in the middle. I pray the kids learn about how to take care of themselves as they color the pages and read the words.

 When I see how carefully these kids are coloring, I see a bright future.

Hello Jean!

I am not sure if I told you that at the last minute, I joined the mission team that went to the DR the last five days.  As a result, I was able to present the coloring books to our resource mothers program.   

The Resource Mothers Program, based in the Dominican Republic, is an initiative to improve the health of expectant and new mothers and their babies.  These women are matched with a local mentor or “Resource Mother.”  The Resource Mother is trained to be a role model, counsel pregnant women and provide needed support and assistance for prenatal, postnatal and well-child appointments.  The “Mothers” receive a small monthly stipend.  The overall goals of the program are to reduce the infection rate and ultimately reduce the mortality rate of newborns; improve the prenatal health of pregnant women and help the partner country enhance its level of care based upon U.S. standards.  Statistics have shown an increase in maternal and infant health in the neighborhoods where this program has been implemented.  An unanticipated benefit of the program has been the elevated status of the Resource Mothers.  They have become highly respected in their communities and several have pursued healthcare careers as a result of their involvement with the Resource Mothers program.

 We filmed the handing out of some of the coloring books in one of the neighborhoods that we visited, but the film needs a bit of editing.  I’ll let you know as soon as it is updated on our website. 

As a precursor, though, I wanted to send you one of the pics that was taken as we were visiting with some of our resource mother’s clients.

Thank you again for helping to improve the health of people around the world!

 Peace to you today,

Anne

GO, ANNE and PFP!

Roly Polies are ideal to teach Nature 101 to kids. They don’t bite, sting or pinch! In fact, they roll up into a ball in the palm of your hand. Kids can entertain themselves for hours with these bugs. Encourage your kids to look under rocks, woodchips, in the garden – they’re anywhere moist or even damp.

If you want a roly poly book to go along with the adventure, there’s one at www.JAMSBooks.com. It’s whimsical, bouncy and moves along with rolling rhyme, just like the bug.