Mother’s Day Memories by Mark Dulniak
Do you remember what you gave your Mom for Mother's Day last year? How about the year before? Are there any Mother's Days that were particularly special you remember? A friend once said to me, "Make Moments Count." I have strived to live by that everyday since my Mom was diagnosed with Alzheimer's.
It's funny, because as much as we as a society give gifts to celebrate Mother's Day, I find that it's not the gifts that stick in my memory. One of the most special Mother's Days I remember happened 2015 in Orlando. This was a year after my Mom, and the inspiration for Nana's Books, was diagnosed with Alzheimer's. My brother and I were visiting my folks in Florida and decided to take them to a fancy lunch then experience the Orlando Eye, the large, air-conditioned Ferris wheel. Typically, my parents paid for all our outings, so they were surprised when not only did I and my brother bought lunch, but we also purchased the Eye tickets. It wasn't a physical gift in a sense, but an experience that we shared together. We all hopped on the Ferris wheel and when the doors closed, the lights inside turned blue. Mom thought it was so cool. We took several silly photos, and the vivid memories stick with me to this day!
I think too often we assume gifts are what make moments memorable, but at the end of the day, while physical gifts may trigger certain memories, they can't replace the experiences. Sharing special moments with those you love and doing activities together, those are the memories I cherish.
When someone suffers from Alzheimer's, they may not remember, but we do. Sure it hurts that we can't reminisce about those memories together. We hurt because we love. We love because Moms taught us that love and caring are important!
Nana’s Books offers you a way to Honor or create a Memory of your Mother (or Father) with an online donation to NBF at https://givebutter.com/4YZ6HB. For $100 or more, you can also receive an NBF t-shirt!
Mirrors and Windows by Colleen Kapklein
April is Autism Acceptance Month, and Nana’s Books Foundation (NBF) is celebrating neurodiversity, empathy, understanding – and reading!
With every book we select, NBF is seeking to leverage the power of representation. We want students with disabilities or loved ones with dementia to see their experiences reflected to them. And we want students without those disabilities or experience with dementia to get a glimpse of a part of the world that may not be already familiar to them. The idea of books as mirrors, and windows, originates with Ohio State University professor emerita and “Mother of Multicultural Literature” Dr. Rudine Sims Bishop.
Reading books has been well established to develop empathy. Books increase fundamental understanding, challenge stereotypes or misconceptions, suggest possibilities and solutions. Books provide a chance to walk a mile in another’s shoes. Books change minds, and hearts.
This is why we celebrate every time we get books into the hands of students. Books exploring autism, like A Day with No Words, All My Stripes, A Different Kind of Normal, Show Us Who You Are, and Lupe Wong Won’t Dance, just to name a few. And books looking at Alzheimer’s and dementia, and all kinds of disabilities, whether visible or, like autism, invisible.
Of course, NBF also aims to encourage literacy and just plain love of books. So, we’re looking for the best, most engaging, most beautiful books to share. This means we are also always looking for volunteers to help us review books to find our best choices. More information here: Books for Vetting. You can find info on making an online financial donation as well. Every bit of your donation will go to buying books and literally getting them to kids.
We believe exposing young readers to diverse experiences, fostering that empathy and understanding, creates ripple effects through school and local communities, promoting compassion and inclusion. Thank you for your commitment to making a difference through literature, and for celebrating neurodiversity with us, this April, and all year.
Nana’s Story
I spent the first eighteen years of my life in a small, picturesque valley with the foothills of the Adirondacks to the west and the Green Mountains of Vermont – Granville, NY.
Memories from “Ging” by Peg Downey
Peg Downey, one of Nancy’s older sisters shares fond memories, especially a love of books that started Nancy’s lifelong career - librarian!
At least twice I have sat down to write about my dearest sister, Nancy, the youngest and therefore everyone’s favorite.
That each time I have lost what I sat down to write just replicates what has happened with Nancy’s death. She’s gone, and she won’t be back. And, I want her to be here!
Fortunately, however, memories of her peek out here and there. Each time, the main one: I was the first to introduce Nancy to the joys of the library and the ability to borrow books!
When she was 6 and I was 14, I knew she really wasn’t supposed to have a library card -- but I also knew that our Aunt Nan had been able to get me one when I was that age. So I took Nancy in hand and went to the library to try our luck. Of course, the librarian said, “No, too young.” Then I said, “But I got a card at that age.” And the librarian, rather than have a big fuss to deal with, changed tactics and explained that if I would take on responsibility for Nancy, just as my Aunt Nan had done for me, Nancy could have her card. And we headed to the children’s section so she could pick out her personal choices.
Nancy stayed the youngest and the most pampered. She sometimes still called me “Ging,” which is what she first called me when that seemed to be as close as she could get to “Peg.” And she also built on the love of libraries and books that I take credit for installing in her to become a librarian.
May the love she and I shared show in all of “Nana’s Books” and not only be a lasting memory of my dear sister, but may her memory inspire everyone who comes across one of these books to become avid readers and book lovers too.
Pember Library Granville, NY
Nancy and “Ging” making cookies in Granville house.