FOR … NICOLE, THE KIDS & THE SPONSORS
by Deena ~ January 31st, 2009. Filed under: Latest News, Year in Uganda (2009).SURPRISE !!!
From: Deena Mayne, webmaster for Nicole’s Letters.org
To kick off the New Year for Nicole’s Letters.org and to support and to help facilitate in Nicole’s successful journey over the coming year (2009) in aiding the children of Uganda, I have added some new features for the site. Hopefully these features will help Nicole communicate to more people, in more ways … providing her a taller soapbox, so to speak, … not that she needs one!
SO, HERE’S A RUNDOWN OF THE NEWLY ADDED FEATURES:
(1) Audio Listening Option - Click on the new listen button in the upper left corner of an article and have the post read to you by an automated gentleman. This is a great feature for multitaskers like myself trying to clean the house and catch up on older articles (posts). This is also a great feature for those who are visually impaired, enabling them to also have access to Nicole’s writings & the school’s latest news.
(2) Email Subscription Option - You’re all going to LOVE this feature! Now you can sign-up to receive Nicole’s latest news via email! Simply click on the link on the home page “Subscribe via email”, enter your email, and you will automatically receive your updates instantly via email. (FYI: You may unsubscribe at anytime also by clicking “unsubscribe” at the bottom of any email you receive.)
(3) Advanced Gallery, Slideshow & Audio-Video Presentation Features - I have also added some new advanced audio/video features for Nicole to use. These include automated and manual slideshow features. Audio can also be added to the slideshows. I’m sure Nicole will have fun with this since she is such a good documentarian.
Here is a quick sample of the Slideshow feature displayed at the top of this post. Select “View Still Images” (left of slideshow) and you can manually click through the images in this view mode. An additional viewing option also displayed in this post is the “View in LensPic” (you will see it in Still Image view mode). By clicking on this option, you can view the images in a 3-D simulated, iphone-like image viewer. (The 3-D feature is new, let me now if you like or dislike that feature.)
The rotating kid photos in the sidebar is also an option within Nicole’s new collection of advanced gallery tools. Enjoy!
(4) Organized Topics - On a less glamorous note, in the sidebar, I have also grouped & organized the information contained on this site to help make finding things easier. Things are now categorized under Nicole’s Journal postings, current news (meaning ALL news), fundraising news, and Inspiring Stories which will be an area for stories from the kids, sponsors and others moved by this project. This is a rough sprucing up of things; I will be revamping the entire site design later on this year. For now, this should help make finding and indexing content easier for all.
I hope you all enjoy these new features. More to come in a few months!
Deena Mayne
webmaster for NicolesLetters.org
February 1st, 2009 at 5:45 pm
Wow Deena! You have made some fantastic improvements to the site! That listening tool is amazing! I wonder if we can feature it free, we have a lot of families that we serve on PHP that would benefit!
February 1st, 2009 at 6:54 pm
Trudy, thanks. I think the new features will enhance the exchange experience for everyone.
I will send you info on the listen button.
February 2nd, 2009 at 7:46 am
Hi Deena,
My name is Paul and my family and I are sponsoring a child. I wanted to thank you especially for the listening option due to the fact my wife has severe dyslexia and is unable to read very well so it helps a lot. The slide show as well because my son and daughter are not unlike the kids from the school in the fact that they love to see pictures and it helps them visualize what they are a part of. Thanks again! God Bless
February 2nd, 2009 at 10:56 am
Thanks, Paul. I am really glad these new tools can help keep your family & the kids in contact/connect. This was my hope. I will be adding a section soon for sponsor story submissions. If you have a story you would like to share, you & your family can add it there. Thanks again for your sponsorship!
February 2nd, 2009 at 11:33 am
I just added a story submission form page for anyone interested in adding their story to the project. I’ve heard so many amazing stories. I know you all have a lot to share. Please add it here, if you feel so inclined. Thanks!
Story Submission Page
February 3rd, 2009 at 9:42 pm
Thank you Deena, these are awesome additions- you rock!