Christmas and Nana’s Books Beginnings by Mark Dulniak
Nancy Dulniak, my dear Mom and Nana, always loved seeing people open gifts. Whether it was Christmas, a birthday, or a spontaneous act of kindness, she loved seeing people's faces light up with excitement. She was especially touched when a gift was given in her name to someone in need. There were times over the years when we would pick up a name, usually a girl, from an Angel Tree at Christmas and purchase clothes and toys. We would take a photo of the gifts we bought, place it in an envelope with her name on it, and place it on the Christmas tree. Upon opening the envelope, it would bring her tears of joy, knowing that we did something selfless in her name.
As her Alzheimer's progressed, these gifts in her name became more special to us and her. In 2015, I thought about expanding on just the Angel Tree idea and reached out to a dear friend of mine who taught in a Title 1 school to find out about donating books to the kids in her class. It was a huge success! The kids took a photo with all their books and even wrote Thank-You cards which we gifted Mom for Christmas. The following year, I donated books to two classrooms of students, including my friend's husband's students. I continued the tradition each year, knowing how much it would mean to Mom.
In 2020, as Mom had progressed into her later stages of Alzheimer's, Dad approached me and my brother about how to let Mom's legacy live on. He wanted to start a non-profit that would help keep her memory alive. I suggested we expand upon the book donation idea and target entire schools, not just a few classrooms. That idea blossomed into Nana's Books Foundation. Nana was the name she went by to her grandsons, and one she was most proud to be called. Our mission beautifully intertwines her profound love for books, children, and the joy of giving: to provide literature on Alzheimer's, dementia, and other disabilities to Title I schools and public libraries. We hope Mom's legacy lives on through the eyes and hearts of children; may they spread the same love of reading she embodied. Just like Nana, we have the chance to create ripples of happiness through our own acts of kindness, nurturing a community filled with love and support—because let’s face it, giving really is the gift that keeps on giving! Your donation will truly make a difference.
A Tribute to My Dad On Father’s Dad by Zander Keig, MSW, LCSW
I have spent every Father’s Day with my dad since I was a child, but this will be my first Father’s Day without him. My dad, Ricardo Alberto Hermelin, was born in Mexico in 1941. He was a single parent when fathers were rarely given sole custody of their children (1960s). After serving as a Marine, my father worked as an electrical engineer for aerospace defense contractors. We lived in California and enjoyed easy and ample access to local beaches where we often swam, ran, biked, played frisbee, and dined at local eateries, including our favorite pancake house.
Growing up with a Mexican Marine dad could have made for a strict and stern household, but it was often the opposite. My dad was relatively permissive, didn’t enforce a curfew, and was often out of town for work and left me home alone starting around age 13. As a result, I learned to be both self-reliant and incorrigible, frequently engaging in mischief, which included being truant often, dabbling with shoplifting, and consuming alcohol. My dad was aware of my delinquency but did not react strongly to it. My teen years were a struggle for both of us.
Thankfully, I sorted myself out in my twenties and re-established a connection with my dad that took on a different tone. In the 1980s, I served in the Coast Guard, and my dad left engineering to become a sports massage therapist. He spent 27 years doing massage professionally.
My dad was also a lifelong runner, completing 100 marathons, 100 half marathons, 100 10k races, several ultra-marathons, and one Iron Man race. At 70, he decided to stop running to save his knees and took up riding an ElliptiGO, which a massage client had told him about. He went on to become a legend within the ElliptiGO community for the number of miles he rode in one year (40,000), crossing the USA in 100 days unaccompanied, being drafted into the ElliptiGO Century Club, being Rider of the Month twice, and earning the first ElliptiGO Lifetime Achievement Award in 2021.
To say my dad was a remarkable man is an understatement. He passed along to me great wisdom and insight that has benefited me immensely personally and influenced the work that I now do, leading corporate psychoeducation webinars on emotional intelligence, mental fitness, and overall well-being. And I recently published a book!
His passing in February 2024, after five years with a dementia diagnosis, is a significant loss for me. I will honor him this Father’s Day and every year after that as a tribute. Happy Father’s Day, dad!
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.
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!
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.