Book project makes donation

Stand Like Stone Foundation benefits from children’s book sales

It was in September last year that Rosangela Crispino launched her debut children’s book ALiNA PiCCOLiNA and her adventures with Zietta.

The novice author made a pledge at that launch (pictured below) – $2 from the sale of each book would be donated to the Stand Like Stone Foundation.

Last week, she made good on that promise, handing over $1000 as an initial down payment on what both Rosangela and the Stand Like Stone Foundation hope will be the start of many more donations to come.

The long term vision is for Rosangela and her emerging ALiNA PiCCOLiNA empire is to establish a sub fund to finance scholarships for Limestone Coast students of language, music, art, media studies and cultural studies.

“My philosophy is when we understand our culture & heritage, we gain an understanding of ‘who’ we are, laying the foundation to our intrinsic sense of identity and sense of belonging,” she said.

“The ALiNA PiCCOLiNA series endeavours to encourage the reader to ‘enquire’ and discover their own heritage and develop their sense of belonging. The ALiNA PiCCOLiNA series will educate readers of the Italian language, traditions, culture, history and geography.

“However, unlike its competitors of the same genre, ALiNA PiCCOLiNA is different because it’s based on real people, real places and real stories, again, creating the sense of belonging.” It was in the early days of creating the ALiNA PiCCOLiNA stories that Rosangela was supported by the Stand Like Stone Foundation, in particular, founder Sue Charlton, which is why she was committed to giving back, and CEO Roger Babolka welcomed the opportunity for the foundation to benefit from Rosangela’s success.

“We are so pleased to be forming a relationship with Rosangela and her team,” Mr Babolka said. “We are so grateful for this donation and look forward to when they can establish their own sub fund.”

The foundation already has almost 30 sub funds, covering such areas as mental health, education and the arts.

Rosangela is now in the throes of writing the second book of the ALiNA PiCCOLiNA series and has been doing readings in school, often accompanied by a gnocchimaking session as she shines a light on her Calabrian heritage.

She has visited Penola’s McKay Children’s Centre, Millicent’s Gladys Smith Early Learning Centre and St Anthony’s Primary School and Mount Gambier’s Tenison Woods College and is available for similar school visits. You can contact Rosangela via the ALiNA PiCCOLiNA facebook page or via email at [email protected] ALiNA PiCCOLiNA and her adventures with Zietta is available for sale online as well as order forms, which are available from Metro Bakery & Café; A Slice of Metro, Bond Chiropractic Centre, Tenison Woods College, St Anthony’s Primary School, Salt Wellness Sanctuary and the Stand Like Stone Foundation office.

FOUNDATION DONATION: Illustrator Tahlee Chant; finance manager Jason Seidel, Stand Like Stone Foundation CEO Roger Babolka, Dr Sue Charlton, author Rosangela Crispino and creative team Lauren Booth & Leigh Howlett.