Meet Deborah Chandler | Special Education Teacher, Game Designer and Executive Director of From The Scroll LLC

We had the good fortune of connecting with Deborah Chandler and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Deborah, we’d love to hear more about how you thought about starting your own business?
This company was birthed during my years of single parenting 2 young boys in the 1970s & 80s while I searched for ways to strengthen our Bible study. Since we loved playing board games, we began modifying those games by adding principles from the Bible. As we played them, we noticed that our relationships were deepening, and we bonded as a family.

Over the next couple of decades, we shared our games at cookouts, reunions, company picnics and church functions with family, friends, coworkers and fellow church members. We gained recognition for providing a unique form of wholesome entertainment. We also developed a reputation for providing fruitful family fun. To this day, my presentations at Nursing Homes and Senior Wellness Centers are always well received – by the residents as well as their caretakers and administrators.

At the encouragement of family and friends, I decided to take my hobby seriously. In 2015, I incorporated the business and began to copyright my work.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
My foundation was teaching Bible Study at age 16. I took over for my grandmother after she suffered a stroke. My challenge was capturing the attention of 12 to 14 year old students. I earned their respect by teaching Scripture with the same enthusiastic passion my grandmother had shown me.

Years later, I would be faced with a similar challenge. As a young Christian single-parent mother, I started developing Bible-based board games as alternatives to the secular board games my two sons and I spent many hours playing. The store-bought games were entertaining for a time but had no lasting effect upon my boys’ future and certainly did not in any way, shape or form lead them to greatness.

Elements of wisdom, creativity, inspiration, problem solving, plus much more, are found in the Bible. Starting with these ideals, I began focusing on building my sons brighter futures. By developing our own games, our level of enjoyment intensified through the addition of challenge and unpredictability. Their need to think through and add their own ‘twist’ generated qualities of ownership, leadership, competition, and relationship building. Our family then bonded on higher and deeper levels because of our interactions around Scripture.

While playing these appealing board games, Christian values were reinforced, a spontaneous sharing of faith was experienced, an atmosphere of fun and laughter encouraged the learning, applying, and loving of God’s Word. A bond of trust and intimacy was created which aided us through some stressful family times. Enjoying a close fellowship over something we loved, effortlessly promoted the advancement of our family and our future generations. All of this was happening while having fun.

The prototypes I created for us at home were also played during church fellowships. They were always well received. Over the years, God continued to grace me with creativity to the point of now having over 20 games (in various forms of creation) that are being shared with family, friends, churches, youth ministries and senior facilities.

I am a reader of books, watcher of YouTube videos and an attendee of webinars that enlighten me on all aspects of my business. Education has become an integral component of my chosen profession.

As of now, I am the only game designer in the company. It weighs on my shoulders to bring each game to fruition. To that end, the Game Designers Conference has been a huge influence on my career. They have become a priceless resource with answers to questions I don’t even know I should ask.

After years of dreaming, and being pushed and prodded, From The Scroll has become a for-profit organization. We currently have our first product on the market, a board game entitled FRUIT.

My company aspires to be recognized as an industry leader in the board-and-card gaming community. Our inspiring and challenging products include a mixture of board, card, and trivia games. By offering thought provoking games that are easy to play, we have developed our own label of spiritually enriching entertainment. We provide unique, brightly colored, eye-catching designs that have built our brand and distinguish us from the competition.

From The Scroll has directly impacted the senior community throughout Washington, DC. During the Spring of 2022, we toured all four corners of the city by participating in the DC Department of Parks and Recreation’s Spring Senior City Tour. We visited recreation centers in all 8 wards and helped rejuvenate attendance after the Covid protocols allowed the centers to reopen.

Our biggest accomplishment to date was participation in Washington, DC’s 2022 Mayor’s Senior Homecoming Festival. On May 25, 2022, we captivated and entertained hundreds of seniors with our board games over a 6-hour period. For us it was pure joy bringing laughter and fellowship to this many seniors & adults with disabilities.

This annual extravaganza provides support to the senior population of Washington, DC by offering local and federal government resources to improve their quality of life. Hundreds of participants actively engage in a variety of booths, workstations, and demonstrations. We were beyond fortunate to be among the limited number of businesses selected to tap into their imagination and provide a unique recreational experience.

The mayor herself spent time at our booth. She was delighted to see the overwhelmingly positive reaction we received from both those brave enough to play our games and those satisfied to merely watch. Mayor Bowser even went so far as to highlight photos of us on her various social media platforms.

Because recreation and ministry opportunities continue to develop and grow, Christian games have a distinct future. Although the board game industry is highly competitive, we believe that there is a place for attractive and affordable faith-based games.

Our goal is to create and market high-quality, Bible-based games that will not only challenge and entertain but will stand the test of time.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
A week of sharing my hometown with my BFFs starts with Washington DC’s most renowned tourist attractions. The White House, the Capitol Building and the open, spacious city stretches of the wide National Mall with its museums and monuments are a must for everyone. Before we spend all of our time outside, we’ll visit an underground passage with historical exhibits leading from the Capitol Building to the Library of Congress.

Day two will take us to some other national symbols such as the Washington Monument and the Lincoln Memorial by the Reflecting Pool. Found close by are the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and the National Museum of African American History & Culture. Friends of my generation would know, and want to find names at the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Day three we’d walk the internationally renowned Cherry Tree trail around the Tidal Basin, visiting both the Franklin Delano Roosevelt Memorial and the Martin Luther King Jr. Memorial.
In the same vicinity, we find several Smithsonian Institution landmarks which deserve inspection. Principal among them is the National Air and Space Museum. It is one of the world’s most popular museums which houses an IMAX theater and the Public Observatory.

Day four brings us to the Museum of the Bible. It is easy to spend half a day exploring the amazing galleries and interactive exhibits including a virtual tour of the city thrill ride which will literally take your breath away! The Native American Museum is a few short blocks away. Exposure to this vast collection of indigenous history, culture and art is essential.
Another mandatory stop on our tour is the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Free concerts are given every week. It is a major venue for visiting overseas opera, dance, and drama companies.

Moving into the inter-city, day five will find us strolling the National Zoo, Rock Creek Park, and taking the Black History tour around U Street NW, where mouth-watering soul food is always on the menu. Speaking of food, the Georgetown Waterfront is the home of great dining, as is the National Harbor.

On our 6th day, we’ll rest from walking and enjoy a scenic tour on the Washington DC BIG BUS. Leaving the driving and traffic to them, we scope it all out from the open top of one of their double decker buses. Later in the evening, for an up close and personal music experience, Blues Alley is the spot. This famous jazz nightclub showcases headline acts in an intimate club setting with exceptional dining.

Day seven we wrap up across the Potomac River at the Doubletree Crystal City Hotel. It has the only revolving rooftop restaurant in our area. Experiencing the spectacular view of downtown is a must! We will close out the trip with a subway ride to Reagan National Airport – another great way to people-watch.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
God gets all of the credit! None of this would exist if it wasn’t for Divine Intervention.

In 2015, I formed a minority, woman-owned business called From The Scroll LLC. I am the company’s founder, owner, and executive director. We are a game design company that specializes in Bible-based board games.

Octavia Caldwell, a human resources specialist, is a church member and friend who advised me on which business model and legal structure best fit my business.

During the Fall of 2019, a close family friend inquired about my board game company and offered to help me start selling my games. He found an American based manufacturer during the pandemic and facilitated our first production run. He also increased the company’s brand recognition and awareness of our products by forming a partnership with the DC Department of Parks and Recreation. His name is Guy Leon Colston. Today he is my Director of Operations.

I am extremely proud of the talented individuals who comprise our management team. Thanks to all of their efforts, as I approach retirement as a special education teacher, I am better equipped to embark upon this career as an entrepreneur and business executive.

Website: fromthescroll.com

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/fromthescroll/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FromTheScroll

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCeix4_7e_vNZhuw_sk98EuA