The ANE Newsletter

by John Aldrich

Those of you who subscribe to the ANE newsletter will have just received the most recent edition. Here is a look behind the scenes at how it is produced.

Newsletters are mailed out six times a year. The January newsletter features stories about the rug show the previous November. Newsletters in March and July anticipate the upcoming food runs, while those in June and December feature stories about the recently completed food runs. A special edition in September anticipates the upcoming rug show.

Approximately 2000 copies are mailed out to subscribers across the country and worldwide.

Design and production of the newsletter starts long before its printing, of course, with thoughts of possible stories floating through Linda's head. Design work starts in earnest about two weeks ahead of printing and involves the collaboration of Linda and Joyce Trapman, our administrative assistant, working together on the text, photos, and layout.

Once the layout is completed, the newsletter goes to the printer, Copytech, which is owned by one of our volunteers, Deb Conover. Thanks to this relationship, extra effort is put into making sure that the final product looks as good as possible.

When the printing is finished, it's time to call in the volunteers to the warehouse to assemble the newsletter for mailing. With the recent mailing, the newsletter assembly took place last Friday, January 6th. Here are some photos to illustrate the steps needed before the newsletter heads out the door to the post office.

Ten to twelve volunteers gather around a work area:

The first step in the process is affixing the mailing labels:

Then the newsletter is passed along to the team that tapes the three open sides:

And finally the stamps are applied:

At last, the newsletter is ready to be taken to the post office:

The final result is a twenty page newsletter with interesting stories about happenings in the program, lots of pictures, news about upcoming events, and special ways to help the Elders. It is also a resource for anyone who might be considering a food run or attending the rug show. It's one of the best ways there is to keep abreast of what's happening at ANE.

Newsletter subscriptions are $20 per year and represent a great investment for anyone interested in the Program.