The Energon Pub

[Va'al]

Here's some good karma news from our friends over at IDW Publishing, reporting their CEO Ted Adams' joining the board of directors for pro-literacy organisation Traveling Stories. If you haven't encountered the organisation before, they are devoted to increase literacy with underprivileged children, by using donations to fund books, libraries, lessons and more. With Adams joining them, IDW has agreed to give an incentive to anyone wishing to also spare some time and resources for the cause, by rewarding future Reading Warriors with a Traveling Stories t-shirt and a free IDW book - read on below for more!

IDW CEO & Publisher Ted Adams
Joins Traveling Stories Board of Directors

San Diego, CA (February 3, 2015) – IDW Publishing is honored to announce that CEO/Publisher Ted Adams has been selected to sit on the Board of Directors for Traveling Stories.

Traveling Stories is a San Diego-based nonprofit that is outsmarting poverty one book at a time and inspiring a love for reading. Since 2010, they've established 7 libraries in book-poor villages around the world and three StoryTent programs that provide free literacy coaching to kids.

"I've always been an avid reader, even when I was little. As a publisher, I'm excited to give kids in underprivileged areas around the world the same literary experience I was lucky enough to have," Adams stated.

With this development, Adams has a platform for sharing his lifelong passion for reading on a global scale and further expanding IDW’s reach in the book-loving community.

If you want to join Adams in supporting Traveling Stories, visit http://www.travelingstories.org to sign up for updates about the organization and initiatives he is working on. You can also join him in becoming a Reading Warrior and donating $10 per month so Traveling Stories can continue to give children access to books. For a limited time, those who become a Reading Warrior will receive a free Traveling Stories t-shirt of their choice and a free IDW book.

Visit http://www.travelingstories.org/readingwarriors to learn more!

[triKlops]

Great step to promoting literacy to the youth.
Thumbs up IDW and Mr. Adams.

[Va'al]

A while back we reported on IDW Publishing CEO Ted Adams joining the Board of Directors for child literacy non-profit organisation Traveling Stories. Today, via the IDW Facebook page, we're nudging people in the direction of the group's funding campaign over on IndieGoGo, as not only does it help and promote literacy development in children who may not be otherwise able to access the same resources, but also features some Transformers comics related perks with different sets of pledges, copied below. If you're feeling charitable and fancy some robot comics in return, take a look here.

$25 USD
IDW Family Comic eBooks Bundle Change Perk
Receive electronic versions of the following titles to be enjoyed on any device:

Angry Birds Comics, Vol. 1: Welcome to the Flock
Little Nemo: Return to Slumberland
Littlest Pet Shop: Open for Business
My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic Vol. 1
Transformers: Prime - Rage of the Dinobots
0 out of 500 claimed
Estimated delivery: June 2015

$30 USD
Signed Transformers RI Covers Change Perk
Transformers #39 RI Covers signed by John Barber, Editor.

At $30, you will provide an hour of free literacy coaching for 15 kids.
0 out of 15 claimed

$75 USD
IDW tour w/Godzilla Writer Change Perk
Tour of the new IDW Office in Liberty Station (San Diego) with Chris Mowry (Writer of Godzilla: Rulers of Earth) and pick out one book at the end.
**NOTE**: There will be one set time for all the winners to take a tour of the office.
2 out of 20 claimed

$125 USD
Transformers DLX HC Red Label Change Perk
This hard cover Red Label edition of Transformers: The IDW Collection Vol. 3 is signed by five of the biggest names to work on Transformers, including Su, Musso, Matere, Furman and Guidi. Hand-numbered to 275, this edition continues the IDW Collection in stunning fashion.
-Limited to 275 copies, hand-numbered and crimped with seal of authenticity
-Stamped with the IDW Limited Red Foil Imprint
-Limited-edition, custom-designed slipcase
0 out of 30 claimed
Estimated delivery: July 2015

[Alpha Dominus]

Bravo IDW! Good to see this distinct company using their resources for a worthy endeavor.

[Va'al]

Continuing in IDW's streak of literacy development programmes, we have a new press release from the San Diego publisher, being rewarded for their work in the field - through Traveling Stories and more - with a Red Balloon Award! Read on below to find out more about their efforts and the award itself.

IDW Publishing To Receive Red Balloon Award In Recognition of Contributions To Community Literacy Efforts

San Diego, CA – (August 3, 2016) The inaugural Red Balloon Awards, presented by Traveling Stories, will honor five literacy heroes including IDW Publishing. The event will benefit the organization’s StoryTent program, which provides free reading support to more than 2,000 underserved children in San Diego every year.

Winners of the award are selected based on the literary works they create, their advocacy efforts and the financial support they provide to community programs.

While IDW’s trophy cabinets may already be overflowing with Eisner and Harvey awards, Publisher/CEO Ted Adams said this award is “sometime entirely different.”

“It recognizes the work that the employees of IDW have done to support a local non-profit that is making our community better,” said Adams. “Everyone who works at IDW knows how important literacy and the joy of reading is to having a happy and productive life.”

IDW will receive their award at the Red Balloon Awards dinner and gala event on Saturday, September 17, 2016 from 6 to 9:30 pm at the San Diego Woman’s Club, 2557 Third Ave., San Diego, CA 92130.

Other award recipients include Kevin Eastman (co-creator of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles), Las Patronas, Waypoint Public, and Don & Jo Soderquist. Traveling Stories will also announce a Volunteer of the Year on the night of the event.

This year’s gala, with the theme “Cirque du Livre” (Circus of Books), will begin with a cocktail reception with music by DJ Marcus More and live cirque performances. The event includes a silent auction. In addition, VIP guests will have the chance to visit with former professional U.S. soccer star Landon Donovan for a special cocktail hour.

The awards show will be hosted by Emily Moberly, San Diego Woman of the Year Finalist and Founder of Traveling Stories, and 10-year-old Malika Shaw, a regular attendee at the City Heights StoryTent. Shaw was the guest of honor at Traveling Stories’ 2014 event “A Night Out So They Can Read.” She was recently reclassified from a below-average reader to an accelerated reader at school. Her mom credits this improvement to the weekly visits Shaw makes to the Traveling Stories StoryTent.

“The Red Balloon Awards is a chance to celebrate the transformative power of reading,” said Emily Moberly, Founder of Traveling Stories. “The funds raised from this event are vital for ensuring that children in San Diego become confident readers and attain every opportunity to flourish.”

Key sponsors for the Red Balloon Awards include Mission Federal Credit Union, IDW Publishing, Mike Hess Brewing Company, and St. Petersburg Vodka. Event planning services are provided by Live Life Shredded.

Early-bird ticket registration for the Red Balloon Awards is $65 per person ($75 after 8/15/16) or $450 for a table of eight ($600 for a table of 8 after 8/15/16), while sponsorship opportunities range from $450 to $10,000.

For information on how to purchase tickets or become a sponsor while helping local children and their families fall in love with reading, contact Alyssa Humbert at
619. 919.5115 or Alyssa@travelingstories.org.