TOP
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REASONS TO
VOLUNTEER
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The Literacy Council's Summer Newsletter, 2003
Table of Contents
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Welcome
New Tutors!
Myra Reitz, Lois Helwig, Jean Wiggins, Alexandra Irving,
Jean Code, Robben Romano, Carol Fleury, Jim Wilson,
Lorie Maurer, Jack Bussie, Harry Silberman, Lee Noel,
Barbara Good, Candace Kincade, Richard DeLong, Ernest
Calvillo, Tina McCaffrey, Ann Carey, Genevieve Willis,
Annabelle Dixon, Diana Schmiett
Margaret
vanWyngaarden
THOSE
SPECIAL ONES AMONG US . . .
Margaret
vanWyngaarden has been an integral part of the Literacy
Council since 1980. Trained by founder Lyn Vivrette,
Margaret became a tutor because she believed that it's
fun to share what one knows. Margaret has been an ideal
mentor to several learners, especially those whose first
language is not English, since she, at the age of thirteen,
emigrated with her family from Holland to Canada. In
time, she and her husband, who took a teaching position
at Cal Poly, moved to San Luis Obispo. While staying
at home with their two children, Margaret found time
to volunteer at Bishop Peak Elementary with children
of immigrant Laotian families. From there, and then
from her experience with the Literacy Council, Margaret
has fond memories of many individuals she has tutored,
knowing she has given them at least a start towards
a successful new life in their new country. She remembers
a young Turkish woman who began as a learner not knowing
any English and is now working on a PhD. in Anthropology.
In 1995 the mission committee of First Presbyterian
in San Luis Obispo decided to sponsor a learning center
at their church. At the beginning, Margaret was one
of eight tutors at the newly formed center. Within a
short time, she became the center¹s volunteer center
director. Margaret's devoted work at the First Presbyterian
San Luis Obispo created an ideal center, a place where
tutors teach learners to think and where, together,
they work with a true spirit of cooperation and sharing.
Everyone, Margaret believes, has stories to tell that
can enrich others and make for better understanding
of other cultures and beliefs. Fortunately, with the
SLO center well grounded, Margaret has agreed to take
on a new challenge with the Literacy Council: to become
the much needed Paso Robles Center Director. We are
looking forward to the positive effects that will be
brought to that learning center by Margaret's energy
and expertise. We already envision her with her trademark
coffee pot cheerfully connecting with new tutors and
learners, intently asking, "How is it going? What
are you working on today?" -BB
A
MESSAGE FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
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Literacy Members, Lyn Vivrette, co-founder of the
Literacy Council, recently passed away. Mr. Vivrette
was a guiding force in our organization for a long
time. Much of what we teach in our tutor trainings
derives from his work. Mr. Vivrette truly believed
in the value of literacy for everyone and his devotion
and expertise will be missed. The best way for all
of us to honor him is to continue our own commitment
to the mission of the Literacy Council. The pictures
on this page show some of that commitment in action.
They are from our Read-a-Thon that occurred in early
spring. The fundraising event sponsored by the San
Luis Obispo Day Break Rotary Club and the San Luis
Obispo High School Interact Club helped generate
funds for books. Rotarians Michael Alamo, Bob Jones,
Ron Griffen, Harry Sharp, Doug Shaw, Ann Shaw, Bill
Almas, Kristin Johnson, Brendan Morris, Jeff Ridgeway,
Linda Wilson, A.J. Hodgkin, Jenifer Rabenaldt, Jane
Pomeroy, Scott Morton, Nancy Beighley, John Stepicevich,
Bill Rasmussen, Leanne Haug, Steve Fleury, Patti
Rowe, Steve Sicanof, Lisa Mumford, Doug Hoffman,
and Ken Long joined Interacters Kyle Galena, Lara
Adams and Kelley Levin in reading children's books
at our centers to our learners and their families.
Although each center's event was unique, all centers
produced the best combination of learning and fun.
We're already looking forward to next year's Second
Annual SLO Day Break/Literacy Council Read-a-Thon.
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I
am happy to report that since our funding from
the Children's and Families Commission was renewed
for the year beginning July 1, 2003, we will be
continuing our Literacy 5 program. Literacy 5
has become an integral part of our overall program.
The funds from the grant enable our tutors to
teach adult learners with children 5 and younger
the strategies necessary for reading to their
children at home. A special feature of this program
is that our learners are given the children's
books, used in their lessons, to keep and to share
with their children on a regular basis. Hopefully,
you are all beginning to collect just the right
materials for your summer reading so you can be
ready to pack it off to a favorite outdoor spot.
It is really okay if you end up napping instead;
after all, there are many days of summer.
Enjoy!
Bernadette
Bernard
Executive Director
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TUTOR'S
CORNER
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Where
To Get Help With Citizenship & Immigration
BCIS (The Bureau of Citizenship and Immigration
Services) has a good web site: www.immigration.gov
This web page can help answer many questions:
www.immigration.gov/graphics/services/natz/faq.htm
To download the Guide to Naturalization, go to:
www.immigration.gov/graphics/formsfee/forms
You
can also order any guides and forms you need by
phone: -BCIS Forms Request Line: 1-800-870-3676
-BCIS National Customer Service Center: 1-800-375-5283
(TTY: 1-800-767-1833). They can also answer a
lot of your questions. Where to send your application
if you live in California: UNINS California Service
Center Attention N-400 Unit P.O. Box 10400 Laguna
Niguel, CA 92607-0400 Need an immigration lawyer?
Call the Immigration Lawyer Referral Service at
1-800-954-0254. Their web site is www.aila.org.
Click on "Need a lawyer?" Information
courtesy of California Literacy, www.caliteracy.org
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"IT'S A MIRACLE!"
Meeting
Dr. Frank Laubach in 1962 really changed my life.
I had invited him to speak to a "Church Women
United" luncheon and my husband asked him
to speak after a dinner at our church that evening.
Between those two events I took him to our home
for a "rest". There Dr. Laubach's first
words to our 41/2 year old son were "Rob,
do you know how to read?" When the answer
was "No," he said, "Would you like
to learn?" Rob said "Sure"; so
Dr. Frank sat down beside him and spent the rest
of the afternoon teaching our son the first two
lessons of "Streamlines English." That
evening Dr. Laubach inspired 132 members of the
church to form a "Company of Compassion"
and promise to each contribute one dollar a week
to help support a Literacy missionary in another
country. In addition, we set up a Laubach Tutor
Training class at the Library, and I took that
36 hour course, going on to become a trainer myself
and training over 700 tutors. For the past 41
years 've been a volunteer tutor of Literacy and
ESL, and I've loved every minute of it! The last
student left six weeks ago, but there may be another
one coming along. I hope so.
Jane
Scanland
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NEWS
FROM THE CENTERS
A Great Idea from
Arroyo Grande:
Center Director Sharon Tanner described a learning
experience developed by Co-director Ken Osty in
which learners had the opportunity to buy items
while practicing their English and gaining confidence
in the exchange of money. The tutors put products
(purchased at the Dollar Store) out on tables with
prices listed: a toy motorcycle was $600 while a
hairbrush was $1.29. Oversize dollars were set out
(also from the Dollar Store) as well as loose change.
The learners selected the amount of money they needed
to purchase their selected items. They then went
through the transaction with the sales person (tutor.)
At times the learners had more money than they needed
so that they could experience receiving and counting
change given. Sharon purposely gave the incorrect
change and guided a learner through the process
of correcting the situation. The learners actively
interacted with each other in English as they made
their selections and purchased their products. At
the end of the exercise, learners were allowed to
keep what they had purchased. Each was allowed to
buy three things, two at a time so that they had
to do some addition. In the process, the tutors
discovered one learner who was unable to do the
math, and they then added that help to that student¹s
learning process. All of the students practiced
basic sentences such as, "May I have___________?"
And all of the students and tutors had a great time
going through the exercise. Sharon feels that this
process could be repeated quarterly. They began
the process after they were 20 minutes into their
classes and the products were all usable items.
Favored items were such things as microwaveable
containers and plates, pencils and pens. (Sharon
also included photos of food items that were to
represent the actual items. Those did not "sell.")
Sharon recommends this exercise to you as one that
was successful, enjoyable, and useful to learners.
Thank you, Sharon! |
"Dynamic
Duo"
I consider myself fortunate to work at a job
where I am surrounded by superheroes who continually
inspire. Each day I am amazed that so many
people take time out of their busy lives to
help others. Most recently, I have been privileged
to work closely with a particular "dynamic
duo". Leah Canvasser and Kellie Fryer
have taken time to recruit volunteers, collect
books, pass out flyers, bake yummy treats, and
generally spread the word for Literacy. While
all of our volunteers accomplish such impressive
feats, what makes these "do-gooders"
heartening is the fact that they are sixth grade
students at Teach School in San Luis Obispo!
One of the special projects Leah and Kellie
have been working very hard on is collecting
children's books for our Learners¹ families.
At 11 and 12 years old (respectively), these
girls recognize that books are a luxury for
many families in our community. They also recognize
that books are vitally important to our cause.
With the books collected by Leah and Kellie,
The Literacy Council will be able to give our
Learners and their families additional resources
that enrich their home libraries. Keep your
eyes on these two amazing youngsters. I have
no doubt that these superheroes will persevere.
Leah Canvasser and Kellie Fryer give us all
hope for the future of our community and indeed
our World. It is wonderful that at such a young
age these girls are making a difference in all
of our lives. MG
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THANKS
TO THE FOLLOWING FOR THEIR CONTRIBUTION
Literacy Circle
California State Library,
Children and Families Commission of SLO County / Prop.10,
San Luis Obispo City County Library
In Kind
Atascadero Bible Church, House of Prayer, Central
Coast Baptist Church, First Presbyterian Church SLO,
Paso Robles Public Library, Peace Lutheran Church, Presbyterian
Community Church -Cambria, St. John's Lutheran Church,
St. Joseph's Catholic Church Cayucos, St. Joseph's Catholic
Church Nipomo, St. Peter's Episcopal Church, St. Timothy's
Church, The Tribune, Trinity Methodist Church
Benefactor
ConocoPhillips Petroleum, City of Atascadero,
City of San Luis Obispo, Economic Opportunity Commission,
Even Start Lucia Mar, City of Morro Bay, Unocal Foundation,
Theodore A. Von Der Ahe Jr
In Kind
ConocoPhillips Petroleum
Patron
Allen-Birge Charitable Trust/ Liz Curren, Blakeslee
Family Foundation, Inc.California Men's Colony East,
Central Coast Personnel Association, Jennifer & Charles
Fulbeck, Mid-State Bank Foundation, New Frontiers, San
Luis Obispo Pacific Gas and Electric Co. Rotary Club
of Five Cities, Rotary Club of SLO, St. Barnabas Church
Thrift Shop, San Luis Ambulance Service/ Frank Kelton,
San Luis Obispo Friends of the Library, Jim & Joan SargenSinsheimer,
Schiebelhut & Baggett Tenet Healthcare Foundation, United
Way of SLO County, Wal-Mart Foundation Arroyo Grande
In kind
Charter Communications, Sinsheimer, Schiebelhut & Baggett
Strategic Initiatives / Chuck Anders
Donor
Lucia Cleveland, Charles Dunlap, Framberger Employee
Benefits & Insurance, E. Thomas Martin, Old Mission
Church, San Luis Obispo, The Mortgage House, Inc. Pismo
BeachRotary Club of Nipomo, Rotary Club of San Luis
Obispo de Tolosa, Linda MacLean in memory of William
Schumer, Southern California Gas Co., Walt & Gail Thompson
In Kind
KSBY-TV, Michael Krout
Sponsor
Altrusa International of Cinco Ciudades, Bell-Warren
Trust, California Men's Colony West, Congregational
Church of San Luis Obispo, Mary & Lesley Corbus, Cuesta
College Library, Richard & Edwina De Long, Delta Kappa
Gamma Epsilon Delta Chapter, First Bank of San Luis
Obispo, Fraternal Order of Eagles, Allen K. Hutkin,
ESQ, Carol Jauregui, Emmy Kimball, Henry & Cecily Lane,
Morro Bay Harbor Festival, Alfred Ramos, Torre Houlgate-West,
Rotary of SLO Daybreak, St. Stephens Episcopal Church,
Santa Lucia Bank Atascadero, K. Jane Scanland
In Kind
Barnett, Cox & Associates, Karen Haislip, KCBX Radio,
Faye S. Russo, E.A.The Sign Place
Partner
Frances Conn, Rincon Consultants/ David Wolff, Jane
Scanland in memory of Lyn Vivrette, Robert & Deborah
Alberti, William & Karen Almas, Keith Aplustill & Sari
Pinto, Gill Apodaca, Atascadero Emblem Club, Barbich,
Longcrier, Hooper & King, John Barnhart/ SLO Rotary
Club Sow the Sees of Love, Sharon & Norman Beko, Bernadette
Bernardi/ SLO Rotary Club Sow the Seeds of Love, Roxanne
Carr & Rodney Levin, Hedy Carra / DSPS Cuesta College,
Ed & Anita Carson, Pat Chapman Christianson Chevrolet
in memory of Albert Rede, Coast National Bank, Jay &
Victoria Conner, Betty A. Cousins, G. K. FrancisHap
& Gayle HarbertTorre Houlgate-WestDavid & Sharon Juhnke
Jerry and Viola Koory Elizabeth & Daniel KriegerDr.
Robert Laubach, Elizabeth Lopez William McKenzie/ SLO
Rotary Club Sow the Seeds of Love, MacTeacher / Carolyn
Hornbuckle, Marian & Robert Middleton, Wilton & Cheryl
Miller, Edwina Mindheim, Mission Community Bank, Peggy
& Gerry Peterson, Brian Reynolds/ SLO Rotary Club Sow
the Seeds of Love, Rhonda & Richard Riggins-Pimentel,
Julie Rodewald, Rotary Club of Morro Bay, Charlotte
Smith, Christopher Smith & Associates, David & Madeleine
Shaw, Thoma Electric, Inc., Presbyterian Church Board
of Deacons, United California State Employees Campaign,
Nancy Woodard, Natalie Woodson, XILINX Corporation,
Joyce Zimmerman
In Kind
Jan Breidenbach, Embassy Suites Restaurant, Fresh Choice,
Cowboy Cookie N’ Grub, Crystal Springs Water, Harry
& David, Hometown Buffet, House of Bread, Kinko's, Linn's,
MacTeacher, Marie Callender's, Novo Restaurant and Bakery,
Nucci's, Old Country Deli, Popolo Rotisserie, San Luis
Sourdough, Scolari's SLO, Starbuck's’ Coffee SLO, Sycamore
Mineral Springs Resort, Trader Joe's SLO, 2 Dogs Coffee
Co., Upper Crust
Friend
Lebah Winter, Carlyn Christianson, Steven Gollery, Ken
Long, Jr. Scott Morton, D.D.S. for Rotary of San Luis
Obispo, John Akin, Trish Avery, Mac & Bonnie Brinton,
Lenarda & Edward Chambers, Agnes Cunningham in memory
of Dorothy Johnson, Gary & Catherine Cripe in memory
of William Schumer, Richard & Diane Dannells Serim &
Bilgi Denel, Christopher Duenow, Kathy Smith in honor
of John and Sandy Dunn, Carol & Sidney Dykstra, David
Edwards & Karen Gallas, Susan & James Fuller, Aiko Hariu,
Mary Harris, Madeline Holmes, Jeanne Hoyt, James & Perry
Jamieson, Lisa Johnson, Elizabeth Madsen, Frances &
Allan Mayer, Estero Bay Women's Club, Catherine & George
Petty, Jeffery P. Priolo Insurance, Inc., Brian & Diane
Reynolds, Evelyn Riedinger, Marion Rooney, Rodman JoAnn
& Dennis Ruthenbeck (Borah's Awards) Harry Sharp, Jr.
for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Frank Sheahan
Insurance, Kathy Smith, Margo & Timothy Smith, Alvin
& Claudia Solomon, Patty Terbeck, Karen Tipple, James
and Virginia Toomer, Paula Tripp, Lillian Warneke, Michael
Wright Insurance Agency, Doris Wiley, Lillian & Oscar
Wolff, Laurel Woodson
In Kind
Carol Armstrong, Suzan Boatman, Mary Anne's Hallmark,
Julie Urban
Reader
Jean Abderhalden, William Almas for Rotary of San Luis
Obispo Daybreak, Jean Anderson, Jim Arkinson for Rotary
of San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Jack & Grace Beigle, Diane
Bennett & Donald Brister in memory of Albert Rede, Sheryl
Blankenship for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak,
Patricia & Allen Bristow, Diane & Richard Brown, Clarence
Cabreros, Chapala Market of Morro Bay, Jessie Covey,
Katie Dolezal, Ellen Dollar, Gregg Duistermars for Rotary
of San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Gennelle du Mond in memory
of Albert Rede, JoAnn & Ben Edmondson, Katherine Henderson,
James Fickes, Regina Foster, Daphne & Gerald Freedman
, Barbara Good, Joan Gularte for Rotary of San Luis
Obispo Daybreak, Steven Harding for Rotary of San Luis
Obispo Daybreak, Thomas & Lona Harney, Renee Heller,
Susan Henslin for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak,
Kyunga Heyde, Doris Highland, Marci & Robert Imes in
memory of Albert Rede, Kristin Johnson for Rotary of
San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Laura Kearney for Rotary of
San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Candace Kincade, Laura Kirschner,
Murry Lauser, Thomas & Lupe Long in memory of Albert
Rede, Philip Madruga, Sally Marchand, Ann Martinez,
Lois & Frank Martinez, Maya Restaurant, R. Kevin Owens
for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak, Mary Parker
D¹Elaine & Mike Patrick, Peace Lutheran Church, Ladies
GuildIrma & Allen Powell, Andrea Raggio, H.E. & Betty
Robinson, Doris Rose, Patrice Rowe for Rotary of San
Luis Obispo Daybreak, San Luis Chevron, A.J. Schuermann
Jr., Scolari¹s Friendship Fund, Cathryn & Georgia Sells
in memory of Albert Rede, Karen Sharp, Kimberly Skinner,
Dan Snowden for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak,
Betsy & Roger Sprenkle, Sue Svercheck, Katharine Tift,
Elaine & Bert Townsend, Joe Truex, Betsy & Donald Umhofer,
Leslie Van Meel, Elaine Van De Vanter, Linda Wilson
for Rotary of San Luis Obispo Daybreak
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