Events/Announcements

September 25, 2010 at The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of Dallas

"Chefs" attend  9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

"Judges" attend 11:30 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

Go to the Cook for Books page on this website for more information and to RSVP. 

Past Events/Announcements

Top Readers Recognized with Medals - May/June 2010

The student from each class who had read the most minutes during the school year was honored at their school awards assembly with a Star Reader medal provided by My Very Own Book.

MVOB 1st Annual Dinner:  Giving to Change Lives - May 1, 2010 

An enthusiastic crowd gathered on the evening of May 1st at the Eisemann Center to raise funds to expand the My Very Own Book reading incentive program to more schools and to honor the program’s star readers. At the event Angela Macias from Audelia Creek Elementary, Jaylor Crawford from Elisha M. Pease Elementary and Preston Fink from Mendenhall Elementary were honored for being the top readers from their schools. They were each presented with six new books tailored to their likes, had time to speak individually with the evening’s keynote speaker, Everson Walls, and received a personalized, signed copy of Walls’ book. 

Guests enjoyed a sit down dinner and unique silent auction, but certainly a highlight of the event was the address by former Dallas Cowboys player and Super Bowl Champion Everson Walls. He stressed how important it is for children to choose books in the genre they love in order to develop lifelong readers, a key component of the MVOB program. For Walls, it was John Grisham's "The Firm" that started him reading for pleasure and he hasn't stopped since.

MVOB was honored by the outpouring of support from the community and took time during their program to recognize Gold level sponsors Borders Bookstores, Cinemark USA and Ryan Design International. The support of all donors for this event will help MVOB continue to motivate children to read and make book ownership a possibility for all children. President Helen Van Auken stated, “We have many schools who have requested we bring our program to them and this event will allow us to begin our expansion.”

To see more event photos taken by Mark Hatcher, click here.

Honored star readers Preston Fink (Mendenhall), Angela Macias (Audelia Creek) & Jaylor Crawford (Pease) with keynote speaker Everson Walls, receiving presents from MVOB Pres.

Keynote speaker Everson Walls;  Betty White winning $200 spa gift certificate in Thank You for Spreading the Word drawing

Representatives from Gold sponsors Borders Bookstores, Cinemark USA, and Ryan Design International receiving thank you plaques

MVOB Reception and Art Silent Auction - December 12, 2009

A great crowd of art enthusiasts, artists, and MVOB supporters gathered on December 12th for a reception and art silent auction.  Guests enjoyed food donated by Market Street Catering, a free door prize drawing for a $75 gift certificate from Tom Battles Custom Framing, a live demonstration of Scott Wade's "dirty car art," and a silent auction with 46 pieces of outstanding artwork!

                                       

                                       

     

Scott Wade creating "dirty car art"                                                   Raffle winner Danna Gann and Scott Wade beside Danna's car         

Children Giving Back - November/December, 2009 and January 2010

Children throughout North Texas are learning the importance of giving back. 

In November of 2009 Morgan and her family asked friends to bring new books to her birthday party rather than presents.  They collected and donated 30 outstanding new books.  When she delivered them to us it was clear she was proud of what she had done and understood the books will go to kids who need them.

In December of 2009 Piper and her family hosted a holiday pajama party.  Rather than having a gift exchange for the kids, they decided to use this event as an opportunity to help others.  Piper chose to ask parents to bring a new book for MVOB and pajamas for another program which serves foster children.  76 beautiful books were presented to President Helen Van Auken at the event.

In December of 2009 the 1st, 3rd, and 5th grades at Brinker Elementary School adopted My Very Own Book.  Parents were asked to bring new books to the winter parties on the last day of school before winter break.  212 outstanding new books were donated.  

In January of 2010 students at the Spanish Schoolhouse North Dallas Campus presented My Very Own Book with 51 new books.  The school used a portion of the points earned during their Scholastic Book Fair to buy new books for our non-profit.  The school felt this was a good opportunity to help others while also teaching their students the importance of giving back.  

      

           

My Very Own Book Receives Grant from Enterprise Holdings Foundation - November 10, 2009

My Very Own Book was honored to be awarded a grant from the Enterprise Holdings Foundation.  Their support is critical to our work to increase literacy skills in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods through our reading incentive program.  A special thanks goes out to Enterprise employee Jason Hunt, pictured below, for sponsoring our grant application.  A man with a deep love of reading and a father of two elementary school students, he clearly knows first hand the imporatance of having books in homes for children.  We greatly appreciate that Jason and Enterprise have chosen to support us in our endeavors.      

  Jason Hunt, Kelley Van Auken, Helen Van Auken      

 

Schools Hold First My Very Own Book Awards Ceremonies and Free Book Selections

In October 2009 the elementary students of Elisha M. Pease (Dallas ISD), Mendenhall (Plano ISD) and Audelia Creek (Richardson ISD) completed their first six weeks participation in the My Very Own Book reading incentive program.  Each school honored the participating students with certificates and a coupon to select a new, free book from their schools "free book store."  MVOB provided more than double the number of books needed at each school to provide the students a variety to choose from.

     Elisha M. Pease Elementary student

     Mendenhall Elementary student

     Audelia Creek Elementary students      

 

President Helen Van Auken on panel at Dallas Bar Association symposium - October 14, 2009

My Very Own Book was honored to be invited to participate in the Reading Panel Discussion at the Dallas Bar Association and Dallas Bar Foundation Community Symposium for Justice in Education.  Judge Marilea Lewis put together an outstanding symposium.  The good turnout is a clear indication that the community shares our goal of creating equal opportunity in education.

Fellow presenter Sarah Polley, organizer Judge Marilea Lewis, and President Helen Van Auken

President Helen Van Auken gives a presentation at American Association of University Women meeting - October 12, 2009

President Helen Van Auken gave a presentation to the American Association of University Women about how we got started, our current program, and our plans for the future.  The group was very welcoming and clearly passionate about supporting our cause.  They plan to do a new book drive for us in December.

 

President Helen Van Auken showing some of the books distributed to children in our program

 

Celebration of “National Make a Difference to Children” Month Draws a Crowd and Raises Money for Low-income Students

A group of 75 people dedicated to improving literacy and putting new books into the homes of low-income students gathered on July 30^th to celebrate National Make A Difference to Children month.  The event put on by local 501(c)(3) non-profit My Very Own Book was at Angelika Film Center in Plano and included food, door prize drawings, and a viewing of the movie The Reading Room.  My Very Own Book will make a difference to children in Dallas ISD, Richardson ISD, and Plano ISD by running reading incentive programs in elementary schools in low-income neighborhoods.  Students will read outside of school hours and be rewarded with certificates and new, free books every grading period.  Approximately 1,500 books will be distributed at each school. 

The crowd at this event and the generous donations are strong evidence that the public is aware of the importance of the goals of My Very Own Book:  improving literacy, encouraging students to choose reading as a form of entertainment, putting new books into the homes of families who often can’t afford the luxury of purchasing their own new books, and creating lifelong readers.  The non-profit was touched by the outpouring of support and looks forward to continuing to work in North Texas to meet these goals.   

             

Crystal Hogan, Meredith Fisherman, and Paul Nichols            Jeanne Rubin, Lisa Mashigian, Kameron Leweller, Chris Damian,

                                                                                          Serena Damian, Robb Blanchette, and Bob Shimmin

                                           

President Helen Van Auken                                                      My Very Own Book display, literature

 

             

Barb Walters and Executive Director Kelley Van Auken        Jack G.B. Ternan, Jr. and Adrienne Carr

 

                                          

Guests enjoying food                                                                Elaine Sanders

 

             

Geegee Thorn, Genie Niles, and Richard Niles                      Theatre crowd