Skip to main content

Start the Press!

By Kristen Scaletta, Communications Specialist
 Each quarter, the Elks National Foundation publishes Heartbeat, a newsletter full of the latest ENF news and stories. We just wrapped up producing the spring 2011 edition, and wanted to see what happens between the time we hand off the files to the printer and when the newsletter arrives in your mailbox.

Enter Envision Graphics. Our printer, John Schmudde agreed to take Development Manager Kate Keating Edsey and me on a tour of the plant that prints and mails Heartbeat. We drove for an hour in Chicago morning rush hour traffic until we reached the plant in Bloomingdale, Ill., but the long drive was worth it!

When we arrived, we met Account Executive Dave Shanahan, who took us on a full tour. We started with the pre-press room, where the Heartbeat files are checked for errors and a printer proof, a preview of what the newsletter will look like when printed, is generated.

Next, Dave whisked us through a series of cubicles (where the smell of fresh brewed coffee greeted us—a welcome scent in the morning) into the pressroom, where the magic happens. We got to see newsletters being printed on huge printing presses, and checked consistently for quality. Much to our disappointment, during our visit everything ran smoothly so no one had to yell “Stop the press!”
Printing the newsletter is just the beginning of the process. Heartbeat comes out of the press on large sheets of paper, two full issues per sheet, and is cut to size and folded. A binding machine sews a remittance envelope inside each issue. The newsletters then go through an addressing machine, where they are sealed, addressed, and made ready to go to the post office. A different person operates each individual machine. It was great to see how so many people played a role in printing and mailing this newsletter.

Thanks to the work of Envision Graphics, the spring issue of Heartbeat will arrive in mailboxes soon!

Comments

  1. This is great stuff. Next I would sure like to see the plant where the pins are made.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Labels

Show more

Popular posts from this blog

Seizing Every Opportunity

Reflections from the SAB President By Kat Nakamura 2019 MVS Scholar Hi, Elks Family! I’m Kat Nakamura, a 2019 MVS Scholar currently serving as the president of the Scholar Advisory Board. My time with the Elks has been a transformative experience, not only providing me with financial support for my education but opening the door to a nurturing community of like-minded individuals and remarkable opportunities. My journey began when I applied for the Elks Most Valuable Student scholarship, and little did I know it was just the beginning of a life-changing adventure. Months later, my mom encouraged me to apply to join the Scholar Advisory Board. Initially hesitant, I thought there was no chance of being accepted. Little did I realize that this decision would lead me to one of my most cherished experiences throughout college. The Scholar Advisory Board are the representatives that advise the ENF on scholar relations. Apart from being on the board, members attend the Elks National Conve...

A Boatload of Scholars, a Busload of Clothes

By: Aditi V. Patel,  2019 Most Valuable Student scholar Last week, I had the pleasure of serving alongside 20 other amazing Elks scholars as a part of the Tampa Elks Scholar Service Trip. I did my research before the trip and found that Hurricane Ian had displaced more than 40,000 Floridians in September 2022—I wanted to do something to help! After landing in Tampa, we got right to work by sorting a busload (literally) of clothing that Tampa, Fla., Lodge No. 708 collected from the community for Greater Pine Island. We organized each item of clothing by size, made sure each item was in good condition, and placed them into bags. Whenever there weren’t clothes at my table, I would shift to another station to help others, and I saw other scholars doing the same. It was amazing to see everyone laboriously working for hours without any complaints, learning names and fun facts as we went. We had dinner at the Tampa Elks Lodge, which is where I had my first genuine conversations w...

Elks Scholar to Scholar Fellow

by Raleigh Cury, Elks Scholar Fellow My first week as the Elks Scholar Fellow has been a whirlwind. Unfortunately, there was a hiccup with my work laptop, as it seems to have been either lost in the mail or stolen from my doorstep. Luckily, the ENF was able to get a second one to me quickly! Besides that, it has been a smooth transition into a new job! Everyone has been warm and welcoming, and I am very excited for what is to come. I have started brainstorming about the Winter Elks Scholar Service Trip. My initial idea is to provide disaster relief in Florida in the wake of Hurricane Ian. We might not do disaster relief, but Florida has become a strong contender for the trip. As a life-long resident of the South, I am especially excited to have a job that will take me all over the country.   In fact, I will be flying to Chicago for the job for the first time in less than a month.   I graduated in 2021 from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I was heavil...