The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation is dedicated to improving people's lives by sharing advances in health and learning with the global community.  Led by Bill Gates' father, William H. Gates, Sr. and Patty Stonsifer, the Seattle-based foundation has an asset base of $17.1 billion.  Preventing deadly diseases among poor children by expanding access to vaccines, and developing vaccines against malaria, HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis, are central priorities.  Other major efforts include extending unprecedented opportunities for leaning by bringing computers with Internet access to every eligible public library in the U.S. and Canada, a providing scholarships to academically talented minority students with severe financial need through the Gates Millennium Scholars Program (www.gmsp.org).  For complete information and grant guidelines, visit www.gatesfoundation.org.

Martin Reynoso

As Treasurer for the Foundation, it is my pleasure to oversee gift accounting and donor tracking. Bim Miles, the other member of the Finance Committee, Development Office staff, and I have instituted processes to properly safeguard all donations so that donors can be assured their dollars are being put to work as they intended.

Perhaps you'd like your donation to go toward supporting a specific need that the library has, such as large-print books, books on literacy, computers, or, furniture for new computers. Alternatively, you may simply ask the Foundation to utilize your donation as it deems appropriate to assist the library system to operate more effectively. The choice is yours.

The Foundation is inclusive by nature, much as the Timberland Regional Library System is. Timberland libraries' doors are open to all, and we are attempting to make the opportunity to contribute available to all. Whether you want to contribute a large amount or a small amount, every donation is important to us. Some people choose to make a large one-time donation, and others select to make smaller donations, somewhat regularly, over time. Either type of contribution is welcome, and, encouraged.

The new millennium brings the promise of more community involvement in library activities, and through contributions. This could be the year you or someone you know chooses to become a contributor. We hope you make that choice. There are many children and adults served by the Timberland Library System who will appreciate your contribution.

Please contact one of our development staff for more information on how you can give the gift of Knowledge.

Exploring Science
 with Mother Goose

A 300-year old goose, Two Bad Ants and a Very Hungry Caterpillar will be helping families learn about science. Two Timberland Regional Library staff members will also help. Ellen Duffy, Youth Services Coordinator, and Bob Stalder, Raymond Library Manager, have completed facilitator training to lead the four-week Mother Goose Asks Why? series of workshops.

Participating parents receive nine award-winning children's books, a small science kit, and a family science activity guide packed in a canvas tote bag.

Parents explore such questions as "What Is It?", "How Many", "How Do You Do It?", and "How Does It Grow?" which foster the process skills of science discovery. In doing so, parents gain the expertise and confidence to introduce science to their 3- to 7-year-old children. For example, participants may add pennies one by one to floating boats crafted from foil to discover at what point the boats will sink. Many of the parents involved are reached through programs such as Head Start, Adult Basic Education, and Parent Centers.

"It's been my experience that parents

eagerly share the books and science activities with their children at home," said Ellen Duffy. "Mother Goose Asks Why? gives them 'permission' to play and talk with their children. They realize we're all doing science every day."

The literature-based program was developed by the Vermont Center for the Book to help parents nurture and develop children's natural curiosity about the world around them. Funding from the National Science Foundation allowed the program to expand to 14 states where it will reach an estimated 5,200 families. TRL has submitted a request to participate in future NSF-funded expansion.

In the meantime, The Rainforest Learning Center will fund the participation of ten families in the program at TRL Amanda Park in January. The TRL Foundation has donated $200 to purchase reusable supplies for program workshops and hopes to raise funds for additional Mother Goose Asks Why? workshop series.

The books and materials each family will receive are valued at over $65. Thanks to a grant from the National Science Foundation and the Vermont Center for the Book, TRL will expand the program to include 100 families in Lewis, Mason and Thurston counties during 2001 and 2002.

The booklist for Mother Goose Asks Why?:

• Seven Blind Mice by Ed Young
• Two Bad Ants by Chris Van Allsburg
• The Glorious Flight by Alice and Martin Provenson
• Albert's Alphabet by Leslie Tryon
• The Very Hungry Caterpillar by Eric Carle
• Home Lovely by Lynne Rae Perkins
• The Doorbell Rang by Pat Hutchins
• Who Sank the Boat? by Pamela Allen
• Nobody Owns the Sky by Reeve Lindbergh.

A shy glance, a tremble of fear, a knowing smile-these subtleties of the actor's art are now accessible to the visually impaired. In movies with Descriptive Video Service (DVS) narration is added in pauses in the soundtrack to explain the settings, costumes, actions, actors' facial expressions and other key visual elements. Consider this classic scene:

Ilsa: "What about us?"

Rick: "The problems of three little people don't amount to a hill of beans in this crazy world. Here's looking at you kid."

And the narrator adds: Rick's eyes are dark and unflinching under the brim of his fedora. Victor takes his wife's arm. They turn and walk down the runway. Ilsa's calm smile fades. A single tear streaks down her face as she passes from view.

Besides Casablanca, with Humphrey Bogart as Rick and Ingrid Bergman as Ilsa, Timberland Regional Library offers a number of other videos with DVS.

To view the titles in TRL's catalogue, select choice 3 (Words in Title and Subject) and enter "Descriptive Video."

To help those who find it difficult to get to the library, Timberland Regional Library has asked the Foundation to raise funds for an outreach program. The program would outfit containers with materials useful to senior centers and residents of adult group homes and convalescent centers. The containers would circulate among the participating locations.

Materials would include:

• Books on tape and CD
• Large print books
• Music CDs and cassettes
• Movies with Descriptive Video Service (see side bar)
• BiFolkal Reminiscence Program Kit

(Reminiscence program kits contain a variety of materials designed to appeal to every sense, including photos, music cassettes, booklets, scented stickers, skits and recipes, along with a program manual. Each kit focuses on a particular topic, such as school days, farm life, or pets. The kits promote reminiscing and conversation, helping older adults to put their lives in perspective while helping their families and communities to understand and honor their accomplishments.)

The cost of materials for each container is estimated at $1000.

If you are interested in donating to this program, or any other program, please call the Foundation office (360-704-4565) or mail your check to TRL Foundation, PO Box 7177, Olympia, WA 98507.

Name _____________________________________________Day Phone ______________

Address ___________________________________________Evening Phone______________

City ___________________________________State _______ Zip Code ___________

I also wish to make a donation of $______________. Direct my donation to:

___Greatest Need 

___Technology: Bridging the Digital Divide 

___Mother Goose

___Outreach

Thank you,

The Timberland Regional Library Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. Donations are tax deductible. Please make your check payable to Timberland Regional Library Foundation. Our address is P.O. Box 7177, Olympia, WA 98507-7177. If you have any questions, please contact our Development Office at [360] 704-4565. This charity is currently registered with the Washington Secretary of State Office, 1-800-332-GIVE, under the charitable solicitation act, registration number 5608.