(1888PressRelease)
January 08, 2008 - 'Books For Boots' Program Offers Local Authors The Opportunity To Help Lonely Vets And Their Families
Time hangs heavy for the veteran who is in hospital for a long while. Though we would like to believe otherwise, not all the families of these lonely soldiers can afford the trip to a far away hospital to be with that loved one who has given so much for all of us. Now, thanks to a new program, there is light at the end of this tunnel.
"Books for Boots", launched in June of 2007, is a private, nonprofit organization whose mission is to help hospitalized veterans get a bedside visit from their family, and to give those hospitalized veterans some books to read.
The program is simple. Authors donate part of their royalties to help with those bedside visits. Publishers and authors donate books.
"When you're in the hospital for a long time, getting a letter from home is always nice and a phone call is even better," says program founder Rick Gelinas, a retired marriage and family counselor and veteran of the Korean war, "but a letter or phone call can never be as nice as a hug from mom or dad, or a kiss from your spouse or your baby."
One of the better methods used by many local authors to generate funds for the program is to hold book signings at the community level. Portions of the proceeds from these signings can be donated to the Books For Boots Program. Gifts of books are also very welcome. A donation of cash to Books for Boots is tax-deductible under IRS rules for 501(c)(3) gifts.
"Books For Boots helps arrange book signings but each author is expected to do their own marketing, with the help of our partners," Gelinas point out. "Donations are on the honor system," he adds.
Authors who wish to organize local level book signings are offered limited free marketing materials and publicity assistance from the Free Publicity Focus Group. Signing up for the program is accomplished at the Books For Boots website.
"In this situation," Gelinas points out, "everybody wins."
Here is an example of how large book signings may be arranged: A major supermarket chain with 60 stores in the DC/Baltimore/VA area has agreed to have authors do book signings inside their stores, according to Gelinas, on a weekend toward the end of January. “This particular situation is new for us,” he said, “so I’m going to test it myself. If it works out to everyone’s satisfaction, I know there will be other chain stores nationwide that will welcome our program to help wounded war heroes. A lot of authors could get involved. A lot of books could get sold this way.”
Further information is available at http://www.booksforboots.org. Authors wishing to hold book signings to benefit this program can find further information at http://www.freepublicitygroup.com .
Contact:
Rick Gelinas
506 E. Lake Elbert Dr. NE
Winter Haven, FL 33881
863-298-8748
E-mail: rickgelinas ( @ ) tampabay dot rr.com
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