Thought of the week

"Words only hurt if you let them!"

I realize that your first reaction is to say, "Yea, right". I get that a lot when I say that to someone. But, by letting someone else's opinion hurt you, you're giving them control over you. Not just you, but your emotions as well. You're also giving them control of your opinion of yourself. There are plenty of things that we have no control in life,so why simply give up control over your emotions. 

Usually, others only say hurtful words to make them feel better about themselves. They thrive when others feel bad, most especially when they are the cause.

The only opinion that matters about who you are, is yours!

How are things?

I realize I don't post on here often, but I don't know what to say sometimes.

We are growing and things are doing ok. I'm not sure what else we can ask for.

I would like to thank Athens State University for their help on various items for us and we should be getting with them soon. They're helping us with a new logo, business plan and a marketing plan. They are also going to try to help us on the site. The students feel that our site can use a major face lift. I can't really argue with them since I'm the one that came up with what to say. I'm not an orator so I don't always say the correct thing in the correct way and while I would like for this to be professional, it may not always come across like it. I'm just a housewife doing something I really enjoy.

I would also like to thank Fordham University for the cards they sent us. I really like getting handmade cards to send to the children. As a parent, I've always preferred getting them from my children because it means they actually spent time making them, making them more precious to me than a store bought present. I assume the children feel the same way. Someone spent time making them a card. That has to make them feel special.

Anyway, that's all for now and I hope you all have a great day.

New Collection and Delivery Location

So many children spend much of their childhood in hospitals, due to accidents or illnesses. To keep their curious minds growing, we formed Pages for Children in January of 2009. Each month, Pages for Children mails books and other related items to hospitals for these youngsters, not only to fuel their imaginations, but also to remind them that they are thought about and loved.

Until recently, we have had to limit our efforts to local hospitals in North Alabama and Southern Tennessee areas, but thanks to the kindness of the people at Village Books, we’re able to reach children on the other side of the United States!

Village Books will be delivering books to the hospitals in the Bellingham, WA area and we at Pages for Children would like to take this time to let them know that their efforts are appreciated. Seeing a business place the community ahead of profits gives us hope that our efforts will continue to grow and expand.

Please help us in thanking Village Books by buying your next book from them. Their partnership with Pages for Children is invaluable.

PaperDemon Coloring Book Contest

About two weeks ago, I was contacted by PaperDemon.com and was told about an event they will be having during January and February. They are holding a Coloring Book Project. Different artist and writers will be submitting there items to be included in a coloring book that they are having printed and sent to us so that we can send to various hospitals so they can give to the children they have in their care. The participation has been great so far and you can see the submissions here. So if you can draw, feel free to enter and maybe your project can be included.

I can’t wait to see the finished book. It makes me wish I could draw.

They also have a facebook page, so please visit and like their page.

Update on who will win the Iron Bowl

So far, our results indicate that Alabama is predicted to win by a 63/37 split. I'll have more results as they become available.

Cast your vote for Alabama or Auburn

Pages for Children is having a contest between now and November 24, 2011 to decide with team is better, Alabama or Auburn. Each $5 donation is will not only vote for your favorite team, but will enter you for an opportunity to win either a handsigned Nick Saban/Alabama Football or a Gene Chizik/Auburn Football.

As of right now, voting shows that Alabama is ahead.

Alabama 70%
Auburn 30%

Please visit our contest page to cast your vote.

New Items for Auction

In our last report we added several items to be auctioned off on March 31, 2011. I now have a couple more to add to our list and plan on adding more before too long.

We just received a KISS photo signed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley, a Gene Simmons signed by Gene Simmons and the Sonic Boom CD/DVD set signed by Gene Simmons and Paul Stanley. We will also be having various items from Henig Furs, but those pictures won't be posted until later.

I hope you can join on March 31, 2011 at the Athens Visitor's Center, 100 N Beaty St, Athens AL for our auction. We will have snacks and door prizes.

Second Annual Book Drive and Auction

We are making excellent progress on our Book Drive and Auction for March 2011. Several items have been donated for the auction will be held at Athens Visitor Center, 100 N Beaty St, Athens AL on March 31, 2011 from 5 pm to 9 pm or until all items have been auctioned off. There will also be door prizes that we will be given away (you do not have to be present to win). Below is a list of all items we have for the auction (as of right now), more will be added on our book drive page as they become available.

• Authentic hand signed Nick Saban/Alabama Football.
• Authentic hand signed Gene Chizik/Auburn Football.
• Authentic hand signed Paul Johns/Georgia Tech Football.
• Authentic hand signed Dan Mullen/Mississippi State Football.
• Signed picture of Mark Richt/Georgia Head Coach with letter of authenticity.
• Limited Edition Mark Ingram Prints by Clarence Pointer
• Limited Edition 1960s Ford Mustang Prints by Clarence Pointer
• 4(four) Bleacher Seats for Arizona Diamond Backs home game.
• Shure ArchiQuest: Kings & Castles; Shure ArchiQuest: Empires & Arches; Shure ArchiQuest: Dragons, Czars & Arches
• Buffalo Bills 2010 Yearbook with signed picture of #51 Paul Posluszny

We would also like to take the time to recognize all sponsors we have so far.

• The Caring Foundation
• Trucks & Associates - Panama City, FL
• Betty Horton
• Publix

We're really looking forward to this event and hope you can join us.

Items for Auction on ebay

I have listed several items on ebay to help raise money for Pages for Children. You can go here to see these. There will be more items added as they become avaliable.

I also wanted to let you know that the First Annual Book Drive was a success. I got one full box of books and plan to get more next year. I want to thank everyone that helped in making this event a success. It could not have been done without you.

Also, one last note. There is a program you might want to check out. I'll be giving it a try and I'll let you know what I think. Go to Windows 7 Repair to read up on this program. Before you ask, I will be getting my license because of this link, and want to thank this company for letting me try it out for you.

What a wonderful weekend

I just had to tell you about the weekend emails I received for Pages for Children.

The first email I received was on Friday. It was from a publishing organization telling me that they are going to be sending some books to us. I have no idea what kind or how many, nor does it matter. Al I think about is we will be able to mail to more hospitals and therefore more children.

The other email really touched my heart. A nine year old junior girl scout wants to have a book drive and donate the books to Pages for Children. i'm not sure she has made up her mind wheither she will or not since we're not technically in her community but the thought alone really made me feel good. Come to find out, she's spent a lot of time in hospitals because of asthma, which I hated, but it placed her where she can understand what I'm trying to accomplish. Now before you think I may be selfish in my thinking, let me tell you that when I hear of a child wanting to help a nonprofit for whatever reason, it warms my heart. It's nice to see children get involved in helping others. Not only does it say something for the mindset of the child, but it shows the mindset of the parents. It shows that they have raised a loving, giving child and I commend them.

Oh before I forget, one of our board of directors had her second child July 28. A boy named Nathan Lee Trucks. Please keep this family in your thoughts and prayers.

Have a great day.

Special Thanks to these people

On July 30, 2009 the Booklegger of Huntsville Alabama donated 158 children's books. Also, we would like to thank Beck Weaver for a donation of 51 children's books on Aug 4, 2009. These books will go a long way to helping sick children smile who are having to spend any time in a hospital.

We will be adding Children's Hospital in Birmingham as soon as we have enough books and they get back with us on how many they need each month.

While these books will help, we still need more. We also need coloring books, activity books, find-a-word books, crayons and various kinds of cards to send to these children.

We made our first delivery

We wanted to take a minute to let you know that on July 30, 2009 we delivered a box of books, crayons and cards to Huntsville Hospital's Women and Children Center.

We also received 158 books from The Booklegger in Huntsville, Alabama, which we plan to use in our next shipment. We are contacting the Children's Hospital in Birmingham Alabama to start sending to them but are waiting on information of how many they need each month. Once we have that information we should be able to send to them.

Pages for Children is also on facebook. You can get to our page by clicking here. If you would like to join our cause and help, click here.

We apprecaite all who come and read our posts and apologize for not posting more often. Most of our time is involved in trying to build Pages for Children, Inc. We will try to post more often.

We hope you have a great day.

For every one that links to this site

I have been going though Google's webmaster tools and have found various places that have incorrect links. I realize it's an inconvenience, but if you will, please check to make sure they are correct. Due to having trouble uploading the blog to the ftp of Pages for Children, we have had to change it to http://pagesforchildren.blogspot.com/. I've contacted the webmasters of the site that have the old blog up and they should have this issue fixed shortly.

Thank you for all of your help over the years in linking to this site. It is appreciated very much.

Have a great day.

Been busy today

Just spent the last little bit signing cards that will be delivered to the children in the hospital. All of the cards that we send out will be personally signed, no stamped cards for us. These children deserve a little extra attention. Maybe this will help them feel better to know that someone is thinking of them.

We do need more holiday and birthday cards though, so if you have some in your closet and want to get rid of them, please send them to us.

Hope you have a great day.

Book Reviews

Since Pages for Children will be giving away books and cards, we would like to have book reviews on this site. If you have read any books that you would like to share with us, please email the information to us. We will post it under your name. There are a few stipulations though. There cannot be any inappropriate language or scenes it will be taken out. Please remember this site if for children and if we do not feel that children should be reading it, we will change it to where they can. If you're wondering why we're asking for your help in posting reviews the answer is very simple. We understand that not everyone enjoys the same kind of book so to have a variety of different book reviews on here, we thought we'd ask you to give us some. Everyone that works for Pages for Children is a big advocate for reading and we feel that this way, maybe, we can give others a different point of view on various kinds of books.

Reading is a great way to escape. While you may learn something you also get to stretch your mind. Most books are simply the author's answer to a "What if" question that they have. For example, H. G. Wells wrote "What if man could travel through time? What would he find?" It's through science fiction that we have all of the technology that we enjoy today. If people hadn't written their opinion of the answers to the "What if" questions we might not have computers now. So please go out, read a book and tell us what you enjoyed about it. It will be posted on here.

To start, I would like to tell you about the book "The Abyss" by Orson Scott Card. I'm sure that most of you have already seen the movie, but I have just finished the book as well. Usually, you watch a movie and then read the book and you will find them so different that it's almost like two different things. Not in this case. The book followed the movie so much that is was like watching the movie but with a narrator there telling you things that the movie couldn't show. Such as, Why was Coffey like he was? What caused Bud and Lindsay to get married in the first place? Why did Lindsay and Bud choose the careers that they did? Why were the NTI's so interested in us for? These are just a few of the questions that the book answers that the movie can't. The movie can't tell you what these people were thinking as they did something. It can't tell you that the NTI's were watching the crew or how they came to be able to communicate with us. An while I don't usually read the acknowledgements in a book, I did in this one. It was very interesting and informative. Even the ending surprised me some but I won't tell you what happened so maybe you'll read it yourself. I will say this, if you enjoyed the movie, you will probably enjoy the book. It might even make you enjoy the movie more.

I hope you have a great day and God Bless.

Looking for quality links to site

If you are interested in exchanging links with us, please email Pages for Children so we can get the information posted. Please note that this is a site dedicated to children and any site submitted that we do not feel should be seen by children will be refused. We are sorry to have to do that but we strongly feel that children should be protected at all times.

We are now a 501(c)3 Organization

I just received our paperwork from the IRS stating that we have been approved as a non-profit organization. Any and all donations given since January 7, 2009 will be considered tax deductable.

Needless to say this is a great day for us. We have worked hard to make this happen and to tell you the truth, I never thought it would. We will soon be changing our URL to .org. We will continue using the .com address until all of the links have been changed.

We want to thank you for all your support through the years. Because of you, we are now in a position to help more children. We could not have done this without you.

God bless and may you have a great day.

Went to the post office today

We finally was able to mail off the for to make Pages for Children, Inc., a non-profit organization today. We don't know how long it will take for the IRS to complete our request, but as soon as We found out something, I'll be sure to post it here so you'll know also. We hope you just as excited about this as we are. It's something we have been working on for a while and have finally seen our dream realized.

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know what was going on. Have a great day and God bless.

The world of fake emails

Over the past several days, I have gotten a few emails from this site trying to sell medication.
Since I didn't send them, I know they did not come from Pages for Children, Inc. If you have had the same thing happen to you. Please know that Pages for Children, Inc. does not send unsolicited emails trying to sell anything. I will be trying to find out how I can stop this, if there is a way. Pages for Children, Inc. values your privacy to much to sell medication through emails, especially since we dont sell medicine. I apologize if you have gotten one of these emails though. Please know that it did not come from here. It's a shame that some people are so money hungry that they will resort to any length to make sale. I do not agree with this practice and will never practice it.

Now on to better news. As of February 3, 2009, I became a great aunt. Alexislynn Isabell Stuart was born, weighing 7 lbs and 6 oz and was 19 inches long. As soon as I get a good picture of here, I will be glad to post it so you can see.

I hope you have a great day and God bless.

Merry Christmas

I pray that everyone that is reading this has a great Christmas. My God bless you and your family with health and happiness.

Well, today I get to go pick up my incorporation papers on Pages for Children, Inc. I don't know how long it will take to get my 501(c)3 number though. I have to take them to an accountant and have him do that part, but at least I'm on my way to having non-profit status. I want to thank everyone that has helped get this done. I could not have done any of this without your help.

Again, Merry Christmas and thank you.