When not helping clients produce print projects, Casey sales executive Susan Edminson, can be found helping raise money for The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society through a program known as Team In Training. “It’s a cause I feel strongly about and an opportunity to stay in shape while helping other people,” she explained.

Team In Training (TNT) offers hands-on training unlike any other program. They are an established network of coaches, mentors and teammates, built by The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society over the past 22 years.

TNT trains for events around the country and abroad. They challenge members to complete a marathon, half marathon, triathlon, hiking event or 100 mile bike ride. Participants can pick the event that suits them and travel to a destination with their team for a weekend. Or gear up for a local event closer to home.

To learn more about Team In Training, please visit www.teamintraining.org

With a willing heart and a ton of energy, Casey Printing Pre Press manager Annie Serrano and her family decided to “adopt”  six soldiers serving overseas. To find “adoptees”, she sent an email to her uncle Richard, U. S. Air Force, asking for names of service members that he and his wife knew were serving overseas, as well as a list of the items needed. They gathered the goods, packed it all up and shipped them to the soldiers in February.  Some of the things that were sent included toothbrushes and toothpaste, crossword puzzles,  jerky (they LOVE jerky), cards, razors, coffee, toys other hygiene items and snacks.  All six of the service members wrote emails expressing their appreciation.
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Here’s a “high five” to you and your family Annie. Thanks for helping our soldiers!

Annie’s one-year-old daughter, Rebecca, helps pack goodies to send to soldiers.

By Richard Casey

Getting old ain’t for sissies,” my dad, Harry Casey, would exclaim, somehow managing a wry grin as he tried to shift to a more comfortable position. It was Spring of 1998, and he was in the mid-stages of his progression through the debilitating pain of terminal cancer.

As the disease continued its relentless capture of his body, his mind remained sharp but his mobility decreased and his need for medical care at home became clear. At this scary time of uncertainty, he began receiving hospice care at home.  The hospice team—a registered nurse, social worker, and others, made it possible for him to live well while dying peacefully, in relative comfort, with dignity and privacy, surrounded by family. Dad’s Christian faith was strong and he was ready for the journey.  Hospice care at home made the trip a little easier for him.

This kind of care for people at the end of life is made possible in our Central Coast communities, thanks to Hospice Foundation. Throughout the year, the foundation raises money from donations and events, including a golf scramble in September, Southern Comfort, a barbecue and auction at Massa Vineyard in Arroyo Seco, and Trees of Life, a series of holiday tree lightings that honor and remember people with light dedication donations.

We had been working with Hospice Foundation as their printer for many years and I thought I had a pretty good understanding of what they were all about, then dad got sick, and his end of life care was my first encounter of how a Hospice team works on a personal level.

Through this experience I gained an appreciation for why its so important to support this kind of care.  We want to make sure it remains available to those who need it.  That’s why Casey Printing is so proud to be helping Hospice Foundation raise the funds it needs to give to local hospice care providers.

We’ve have been helping with the Trees of Life celebration here in King City since the Foundation started it in 2004.  This year it will be Sunday, Dec. 12, 5 p.m., at Robert Stanton Theater.   You might want to dedicate a light in someone’s name on the Tree of Life in Monterey, Salinas, King City or Hollister.  You’ll also be helping people across the Central Coast who need hospice care.

As I read Mother Theresa’s quote on the Hospice Foundation website, “We cannot do great things on this earth, only small things with great love,” poignant memories flood my mind recalling the thoughtful and tender, yet highly professional, end of life care my Dad received.

For more information about Hospice Foundation and to dedicate a light in someone’s name and help raise funds for local hospice care, visit www.hospicegiving.org or call 831-333-8023.

No! Not that kind of Great Grandma. When we say Great we mean: Wonderful, Loving, Helpful, Kind, Nurturing, etc. That’s the best way to describe Romona Bender and Gayle Potts. Both ladies work in the Customer Service Department at Casey Printing and they both recently participated in the Read Across America program at King City’s local elementary schools.

The National Education Association annually sponsors Read Across America. Now in its twelfth year, it focuses on motivating children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills. The reading celebration takes place each year on or near March 2, the birthday of Dr. Seuss.

Across the country, thousands of schools, libraries, and community centers participate by bringing together kids and books.

On this special day the NEA is calling for every child to be reading in the company of a caring adult. That goal fit the bill perfectly for Gayle and Romona as the classrooms in which they chose to read just happened to contain their grandchildren. For Gayle, it was Nick and his classmates who enjoyed a reading of “And To Think I Saw it On Mulberry Street.” In Romona’s classroom, her grandson Owen and his classmates were treated to “If I Ran The Zoo.”

Thanks Gayle and Romona for being great Grandma’s and helping kids read!

Concerned about the economic slowdown and rising unemployment, the “Warm Up Winter” team at Casey Printing is working hard to provide warm clothing for those in need this winter.

Employees of the local printing firm are digging deep into their own closets for extra coats and sweaters, in addition to soliciting donations of winter clothing, clean and in good condition, from family, friends and neighbors. They are bringing the items to the Casey Printing warehouse. “We all have extra coats, sweaters and unused ski clothing that is just going to waste” explained Gayle Potts, one of the Warm Up Winter organizers at Casey Printing. “We would love to see it go to someone in need this winter,” she commented.

Once gathered, Casey Printing employees have made arrangements to deliver the children’s sizes of the warm winter clothing to local schools, where teachers and administrators will help distribute them to the appropriate students. Adult sizes will go to local churches and other philanthropic organizations for distribution.

“We could use everyone’s help and welcome donations of usable winter clothing, that is clean and in good condition”, said Romona Bender, Casey customer service representative. “Just drop it off at the office, or if you live in town and can’t get down here, give us a call and we will stop by and pick it up.”

“Times are tough for everybody and our team thought this might be a great way for people to help each other without costing anyone a lot of money,” said Casey sales representative Trish Frudden. To drop off your donation of good, clean, warm winter clothing, please stop by Casey Printing at 398 East San Antonio Drive in King City. To call for pick up, phone (831) 385-3222, or email sales@caseyprinting.com . The deadline for receiving clothing is 5 p.m., December 8, 2008.

About Casey Printing: In business in King City since 1901, we serve publishers all over California and we are the only business in Southern Monterey County certified by the Monterey Bay Area Green Business Program. Please visit www.caseyprinting.com for more information.

Casey Printing controller Sharon Casey, and her son, Tyler, put their love of animals (especially dogs) to use for a very good cause, Guide Dogs For The Blind.  They contribute their time and love as official puppy raisers.

Sharon and Tyler are members of the local guide dog puppy raising club Monterey County Guide Dogs. Led by Sandy Ferguson and Kathryn Yant, they join 13 other members with a passion for caring for animals and helping people. The Casey’s originally became involved with guide dog raising through Tyler’s 4-H club, and have participated for several years.

Guide Dogs for the Blind uses yellow and black Labrador Retrievers, Golden Retrievers and Lab/Golden Crosses as guides.  The puppies are born at the Guide Dog kennels and placed in the homes of volunteer puppy raisers when they are about two months old.  The puppy raisers socialize the puppies by housebreaking them, teaching them to be good canine citizens and introducing them to new experiences while building their confidence.

The pups are returned to the Guide Dog’s formal training program in San Rafael for guide work training when they are 14 to 18 months old.  After a rigorous, demanding training process, through which many dogs are disqualified, the dogs are matched with visually impaired students enrolled in the school.  The new person/dog team completes an intensive in-residence course, culminating with a graduation ceremony at which the raiser formally presents the dog to the dog’s new partner.

Bravo, pictured here with Sharon and Tyler, was the Casey family’s second Guide Dog puppy. After raising him through the puppy stages he was returned for guide work training and much to his credit was a candidate for graduation. Tyler and Sharon attended a formal ceremony at the Guide Dog campus is San Rafael where Bravo, paired with his new master and friend, graduated with honors!

Sharon and Tyler are currently raising their third Guide Dog puppy, a 6 month old black Labrador named Schneider.

Guide Dogs for the Blind has been creating life-long partnerships in the community by providing skilled dogs and training free of charge since 1942.  They receive no government funding and depend entirely on private donations.  If you know someone who could benefit from a Guide Dog, please let them know about this program.  To get involved, contact Guide Dogs for the Blind at 800-295-4050; or visit www.guidedogs.com.

From youth and high school sports to civic clubs to organizations to helping the elderly like Alliance on Aging and Hospice to business organizations like Chambers of Commerce, Casey Printing is involved in trying to make our communities a better place to live and work.

In addition to our local efforts, we’re also involved in international philanthropic activities as well. A perfect example of that is our involvement in developing an ongoing program with Rotary International to supply medical equipment to the General Hospital in Mexicali, Mexico, which is in dire need of proper medical equipment.

Located in an impoverished area of Mexicali, this hospital is the last hope for the injured and ill who have little or no money. Working with other Rotarians, healthcare representatives, hospitals, clinics and extended-care facilities throughout California, company president Rich Casey (an active Rotarian) has developed a network of people and organizations to gather new and used medical equipment to send to Mexicali.

Using empty Casey Printing trucks that are continually returning from deliveries around the state, drivers pick up medical equipment and haul it back to a King City warehouse, which is generously donated by a fellow King City Rotarian.

Casey Printing Truck

Once we get full truckloads, actually large tractor-trailer-type loads, we call local trucking firm Meyer Equipment, who has generously donated the haul to Calexico each year. In Calexico the donations are collected by a group of hardworking Rotarians from the Rotary Club Industrial of Mexicali, who make sure the equipment gets delivered to the hospital.

Gayle Potts is a busy woman. Along with being a member of Casey Printing’s customer service team, Gayle is very involved in the local community. One of the things that she loves to do is to volunteer in her grand son Nick’s classroom. Nick is a 2nd grade student in Bea Tice’s class at Santa Lucia school in King City. Twice per week, she takes time off of work to volunteer in the classroom. Gayle says “It really is an honor to have the opportunity to be able to do this. My grandson thinks it’s pretty cool.” She also commented “It keeps me up on new math skills too. I just learned how to do touch math…2nd grade is intense.” When asked how long she would continue to perform this much needed volunteer work, Gayle said “I’ve been working in his classroom since he’s been in kindergarten, and will continue as long as he wants me to.”