HLPS Opens Its Doors to a Teacher and His Students

Rural kids can have a hard time getting through childhood, especially those living below the poverty line. Unlike the poor in urban areas, they often have nowhere to go, no one to talk with and far fewer institutions that are accessible to them

Rinck J. Heule, a longtime friend of Holland Litho, takes time away from his primary career to volunteer at Success Virtual Learning Centers (www.successvlc.com) (Belding Center), where he teaches a class on graphic design and print technology. His students come from a range of backgrounds and circumstances. He asked if he could bring a field trip to HLPS to show these teenagers first hand how a real-world plant produces a project from start to finish.

As a follow up after the field trip, Rinck sent some photos (below) along with a note to Eric Hunt of our Estimating Department, who gave the tour. We found it quite touching. We've excerpted some of it below.

"I wanted to share a few photos with you from our trip yesterday… To get a man with your passion for graphic arts and such deep knowledge of print… to teach our students…. It is hard to describe the impression you made. I think the attached photos show it best.

"You made a real difference. I know your time is very valuable and I truly appreciate your generosity. We had pizza afterwards and studied how the menu was printed! Thank you!!"

Print has always been a welcoming industry. Folks find their way working for a printer, building a career as a printing tradesman, in so many different ways and via just as many paths. We welcomed the opportunity to share our passion for print and to provide these young men and women with a realistic career path that for some, would be a ticket to a better life. We hope to see some of them working right here as colleagues and attending a retirement party for one of us in 10 or 20 years!