Raccoons Debut at The Children\’s Museum of Indianapolis

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
\r\nINDIANAPOLIS—April 23, 2008—Burkhart Network LLC, a company creating books and complementary products for children and adults, this week donated 700 Raccoon Tales children’s books and toys to the Indianapolis Public Schools for children in preschool and kindergarten classes.

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Lorene Burkhart, owner of the company and author of the donated children’s books, made the gift on Monday and marked the event by reading to a group of IPS Even Start Family Literacy preschoolers at Washington Irving School 14 on East Market Street. The Even Start program provides family-focused programming that allows parents and children to attend school together. Key program components are adult literacy, preschool education and parenting education. Parents work on GED requirements and become more knowledgeable about resources including opportunities for work, workforce training and further education through community collaboration. The preschool children follow scholastic curriculum with emphasis on development of language and social skills in preparation for school.

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“What a great group of children and parents,” said Burkhart. “It was wonderful to see so many families together in the classroom. Even Start is such a positive project for IPS parents who are working to make a difference for themselves and their children.” Burkhart Network donated sets of the Raccoon Tales books for each Even Start family along with complementary plush raccoon toys.

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About Raccoon Tales
\r\nThe Raccoon Tales book series and plush toys are for children ages 2 to 6 years old. The stories are based on those Burkhart told her children when they were young. The 6 X 6-inch books come with a removable raccoon tail that hangs from the book spine. Plush 5-inch toy raccoons come in four striped tail colors (blue, green, pink and purple) to match the four raccoon characters in the stories. Books retail for $8.95 and the raccoon toys are $4.95 each.

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About Burkhart Network
\r\nBased in Indianapolis, Burkhart Network LLC is owned and led by central-Indiana entrepreneur and philanthropist Lorene Burkhart. Burkhart serves as the center of the energy for the creativity and focus of the company. Her vision is to share her life experiences through books and related items. The rotating circles, stars and sunrays in the company logo are the projects, people and causes who benefit from the nucleus of energy.

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Burkhart Network currently has available: Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo and their friend, Stu, Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo Go to the Zoo, An Accidental Pioneer: A Farm Girl’s Drive to the Finish… and Home on the Farm: If Chickens Could Talk. For more information or to learn about upcoming product and book releases visit www.BurkhartNetwork.com.

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Indianapolis Zoo Book Launch deTAILs: 4 p.m. A reading by author Lorene Burkhart and a book signing at 4:30.

The event will include Halloween candy

and games in the spirit of the Zoo Boo event.

“We thank our non-profit partners in the Indianapolis community for providing us such wonderful venues to launch these books to parents and their children,” says Burkhart Network Founder Lorene Burkhart. “This event will be in conjunction with Halloween Zoo Boo and we can’t wait to see all the kids in their costumes!” Indianapolis is a test market for the company’s Raccoon Tales books. Over the last 60 days company representatives have successfully placed the first book Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo and their friend Stu into several retail outlets throughout Central Indiana including: The Indianapolis Zoo, Indiana Historical Society, Border’s-downtown Indianapolis, Earth Explorers Toys-Zionsville, Nana’s Flowers & Gifts-Zionsville, Helios-Carmel and BIG Hat Books-Broadripple. The company also is in negotiations with several large retail outlets who are considering distributing the children’s tales.

About Raccoon Tales: The Raccoon Tales book series and plush toys are intended for children ages 2 to 6 years old. The tales are based on stories Burkhart told her children when they were young. The 6 X 6-inch books come with a removable raccoon tail that hangs from the book spine. The first book in the series is titled Hip, Flip, Skip, and Boo and their friend, Stu. Plush 5-inch toy raccoons come in four striped tail colors (blue, green, pink and purple) to match the four raccoon characters in the stories. Books will retail for $8.95 and the raccoon toys will be $4.95 each.

About the Indianapolis Zoo:

The Indianapolis Zoo is located at 1200 West Washington Street in downtown Indianapolis. Admission is $13.50 for adults, $8.50 for children ages 2-12, and $8.50 for seniors 62+. Parking is $5 per car. Members and children 1 year of age and under are always admitted free of charge. For details, visit indianapoliszoo.com.

About Burkhart Network:

Based in Indianapolis, Burkhart Network LLC is owned and led by central-Indiana entrepreneur and philanthropist Lorene Burkhart. Burkhart’s first book, An Accidental Pioneer: A Farm Girl’s Drive to the Finish…, was released in September 2006 (retail $24.95). Burkhart serves as the center of the energy for the creativity and focus of the company. Her vision is to share her life experiences through books and related items. The rotating circles, stars and sunrays in the company logo are the projects, people and causes who benefit from the nucleus of energy. Current Burkhart Network projects in development include books for children and adults, toys and inspirational Girlfriends products. For more information visit www.BurkhartNetwork.com.

We learned about how animals can eat, climb and even protect themselves with their TAILS!  Andrea Eberbach was also available at the Zoo Store to autograph the first book in the series Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo and their Freind Stu. 

Raccoon Tales & co. will be heading back to the Indianapolis Zoo on October 27th to launch the second book in the series, Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo Go to the Zoo!  Come join us for a book reading, ‘Pin the Tail on the Racccoon’ and meet the author Lorene Burkhart.   

From 2:15-2:30:

The first children’s book by Hoosier author Lorene Burkhart, “Hip, Flip, Skip and Boo and their friend Stu,” will be featured at the Indianapolis Zoo’s ‘Creature Feature’ @ Critter Corner with illustrator Andrea Eberbach. Andrea will bring along her sketch pad to show kids how she draws raccoons. We’ll also read the story aloud and also provide Raccoon Tales coloring pages to join Andrea in the creative process!

From 3-4:

Stop by the Indy Zoo gift shop to meet Andrea and purchase an autographed copy of Raccoon Tales!

Please join us for read-along, draw-along, play-along FUN!

Highlight Video

Download a Promotional Poster

Download Raccoon Tales Photo #1

Download Raccoon Tales Photo #2

InsideINdianaBusiness.com Report

The Children’s Museum of Indianapolis on August 11 will host the launch of a new children’s book by Indianapolis-based Burkhart Network LLC. The museum will be the exclusive seller of “Hip, Flip, Skip, and Boo and their friend, Stu” and all accompanying merchandise through August 25. The book was written by philanthropist Lorene Burkhart.

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