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www.literacycentral.org
W I N T E R 2 0 1 7
From Executive Director—Maria Simao
LITERACY CENTRAL
Literacy Volunteers
Staff
Maria Simao—Executive Director Lynne Prairie—Associate Director Sue Kus—Operations Manager Marjola Nelson—Program Assistant Mary Trombley—Parent
Educator
Love of Literacy Fundraising Event! When: Thursday, April 5th/Time: 6-8:30 PM
Where: Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville
Speaker: Gina Barreca Auction: Gift baskets and silent auction items
Fun!: Wine Grab and Grub Grab!
Wine Tasting: Sassy Liquors
Beer Tasting: Firefly Hollow Brewing, Little Red Barn Brewers, Stony Creek Brewery
See inside for more details For more information please call 860-229-7323 or email [email protected]
New Tutors 2
Grants 2
Event Sponsor-
ship sign up!
3
Donation
Thank you!
4
Student
Events/
Happenings
5-6
Event Invita-
tion
7
Calendar/Event
8
Table of Contents
Over the 40 year history of LVCC, we have seen change of all kinds.
We started as a volunteer run organization where tutors met with mostly Polish
students in their homes in New Britain. Over the years, we hired professional
staff; certified our tutor trainers through our national organization, ProLiteracy;
developed programs, curriculums and evaluation processes that are scientifically
data driven; expanded into 15 central Connecticut towns, including Bristol and
Middletown, and now serve about 400 students, yearly.
Yet, some things stay the same.
Our very special, volunteer tutors make possible all that we do. Without compen-
sation, they commit to extensive training, observations, extra-curricular student
learning experiences, and two hour per week tutoring sessions all year round.
These are special people, indeed.
It is because of our tutors’ exceptional talent and flexibility that we are able to
adapt our services and seek out new sources of funding. Our tutors are game for
anything. “Can you train to work with victims of domestic violence? “Sure!”
“Can you create a new curriculum that meets the specific needs of an employer?”
“Sure!” “Will you learn all the details and nuances of becoming an U.S. citizen?”
“Sure!” Will you help your students connect to jobs?” “Sure!” Often, we don’t
even ask. They just do it because they see a need. Talk about a can-do attitude.
These exceptionally talented people have allowed us to successfully meet our
funding challenges head-on. Two new sources of funding have been a direct re-
sult of new collaborations with Prudence Crandall Center for victims of domestic
violence, and with Rich’s Products, a New Britain employer. These new partner-
ships have, in turn, generated a new grant from the Community Foundation of
Greater New Britain. Wow. It wouldn’t have happened without you, tutors. Thank
you.
Another huge thank you goes out to our Staff for their flexibility in meeting the
demands of new ventures. Speaking of flexibility, our Board of Directors has
stepped up in a big way to take on the huge task of changing our major fundraiser
from a Scrabble Challenge to the new Love of Literacy event, to be held on April
5 at the Aqua Turf. Wine and Beer Tasting, Gina Barreca, food, you name it.
Please join us.
We’re all about taking chances. In these uncertain times, it’s the only way to go.
Thank you to all our supporters for stepping up to the challenge with us.
We couldn’t do it without you!
Thank you—Board of
Directors!
Justin May—
President
Kevin McMillan—
Treasurer
Cheryl Watson—
Secretary
Pat Bayne
Dr. Wangari Gichiru
Jamie Goldman
Pam Granucci
Derrick Karle
Chuck Radda
Carol Reilly
Page 2 www.literacycentral.org
Congratulations to the following Individuals who completed Tutor Training!
November ESOL
Diane Emerick, Kathy Dow, Jane Kennedy, Kathy Conyers,
Priya Balkaran, Ruth Veleta, Caroline Domijan, Ellen Barrett,
Emily Catuccio, Simone Howe,
Jo-Ann Blanchette-Silverio, Sharon Russo
A great big thank you to
First Church of Christ for providing us with
training space!
Donations in any amount
to Literacy Volunteers of
Central CT, Inc. are always
appreciated and directly
support our programs.
If you would like to donate
via credit card, please visit
our website, go to the
‘donations’ page and click
on the ‘Donate Now, Just
Giving.org ‘ button.
For more information
about our giving programs
contact
860-229-READ or
Grants—Thank you! Community Foundation of Greater New Britain (CFGNB)
Community Chest of New Britain and Berlin Fund
Vernon Library Supplies, Inc.
Liberty Bank Foundation
First Church of Christ Caroline Aston Fund
Community Foundation of Middlesex County/
Bee & Missionary Society Unrestricted Fund, Ellen D. Oench Fund,
Lee and Welles Guilmartin Fund, Sonya and Jeff Madoff Fund,
William McCann and Best Cleaners Fund
Main St. Foundation (Women and Girl's Fund) Field of Interest Fund
Main St. Foundation (Women and Girl's Fund) Dumont Family Charitable Fund
CFGNB Community Sponsorship Award
Susie and Charles Gustin Memorial Fund
Frontier Community Services Fund
LITERACY CENTRAL Page 3
www.literacycentral.org
LITERACY CENTRAL Page 4
I/we make the following gift or pledge:
$1000.00 $500.00 $300.00 $150.00 $75.00 $40.00 Other $___________
Levels of Giving: Platinum ($5000+) Gold ($1000 -$4999) Silver ($100 - $999) Friend ($1 - $99)
Total pledge*/gift $_________ (pledges: amounts over $150) Please bill me: Annually _____
Payment $_________ Semiannually _____
Balance $ _________ Quarterly _____
(*Payable before May 31)
I would like my gift designated to the Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut Endowment Fund.
My matching gift form is enclosed I would like information on including
from my employer:_______________________ LVCC in my will.
Donated by (please list your name as you wish it to appear in all listings and acknowledgments.)
Name:___________________________________________________________________________________
Address: _________________________________________________________________________________
Please make checks payable to Literacy Volunteers of Central Connecticut, Inc.
Your gift is tax deductible to the extent provided by law.
Many thanks to all who generously donated to our Pay It Forward Holiday Drive during December 2017! We were able to collect
10 boxes of non-perishable food for St. Mark’s Church Food Pantry here in New Britain, along with many brand new gift items for
caregivers in the greater Hartford area. The non-profit group Gifts of Love located in Simsbury, looks to collect new items at the
holidays for children to gift their adult caregivers, who often receive little or nothing during the holidays.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore,
is not an act but a habit.—Aristotle
LITERACY CENTRAL Page 5
Above: LVCC tutor, Donna Larsen, poses with her
student (right) Tahira and her daughters. Tahira is
tutored at the Plainville Public Library.
Shout out to tutors Mary St. Pierre and Sue Decina for their
generous donations of gift cards and copy paper to LVCC!
Truly appreciated!
Above: (L-R) LVCC students Katarzyna and Radoslaw
enjoy dinner with their tutor Ed Meslin as they celebrate
their 2 year anniversary of English classes. Above: LVCC student, Caibin Zhang, student of Mary Louise
Stover, poses with the judge. She received her United States
Citizenship certificate in September.
Congratulations!
Winners of the
2nd quarter
hours tutor raffle are: Ellen
Barrett and Mary Louise
Stover.
Thank you for submitting
your hours on time!
Student/V
olunteer
Events
& Happ
enings!
LITERACY CENTRAL
Page 6
Student/Volunteer Events & Happenings!
Left: Ahlam received her citizenship in December! She shared her success
at the Family Literacy Center with a cake for all her fellow class mates and
staff. She says she was a little nervous the day of the test, but when she
passed she was thrilled and celebrated at home with her family.
Congratulations Ahlam!
Above: Lalla used the computer lab At the Family
Literacy Center to help her study for her driver’s
license exam and her hard work paid off! She
passed her test in November. She is a student at the
Family Literacy program to learn English. She said
this was her first time ever driving and she studied
the vocabulary for 2 hours a day for a year and half
to pass the test. Lalla moved to the United States
from Morocco in 2010 and has her sights set on
gaining citizenship next. Way to go!
Above: Elizabeth and her daughter play with
playdough during Parent and Child Together
(PACT) time at CCFLC.
Above: Mahogoney helps her son explore the
sensory bin during PACT.
Above: Mothers of CCFLC try mess-free color mixing bags
with their toddlers.
Thank you to all the volunteers in Play and Learn and
at Parenting for Academic Success at Jefferson
School! We are so grateful for our dedicated team
who help make the programs possible and help our
students succeed.
Family Literacy…..
www.literacycentral.org
Page 7
Non-Profit Org.
U.S. Postage
Paid
Permit #9
Zip Code 06050
Calendar of Events
March 26—5 Minute Chat 6:30-8PM
April 5—Love of Literacy Event—sign up now!
April 16-20—National Volunteer Week
April 19, 23, 26, 30 6-8:30PM—Prospective ESOL Tutor Training
(preregistration is required) -
email [email protected] for more information
20 High Street, 3rd Floor
New Britain, CT 06051
Phone: 860-229-7323
From Bristol toll free: 877-603-7323
Fax: 860-826-5191
Email: [email protected]
website:www.literacycentral.org
Register Now! Become a Sponsor! Love of Literacy Event! Featuring Gina Barreca…. wine/beer tasting, hors d'oeuvres, many great gift baskets & silent auction items! Thursday, April 5th, 6-8:30 PM, Aqua Turf Club, Plantsville (see page 7 for more information) $55 (per person/general seating) or $400 (table of 8—reserved seating) Preregistration required.
For more information on sponsorships (see page 3), please call 860-229-7323 or email [email protected]
Gina Barreca, inspiring and
entertaining author who is a
Professor of English at the
University of Connecticut and
winner of UConn’s highest
award for excellence in teach-
ing, has recently joined the
Mark Twain House & Muse-
um Board of Trustees, is a
member of the Friars Club and
an honoree of the Connecticut
Women's Hall of Fame. She is
the author most recently of If
You Lean In, Will Men Just
Look Down Your Blouse?
which was an ELLE Reader’s
Prize selection.
