FARMINGTON – “Health, Happiness, and Hope” certificates were presented by Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties at their annual meeting, held in their hybrid classrooms, on Oct. 27.
Literacy Volunteers awarded special recognition to over 50 people and organizations who made valuable partners in 2021. Adult learners who helped other learners received “Learners Who Lead” honors. “Community Connectors” were acknowledged as volunteers or collaborators who gave invaluable time, energy, ideas, courage, and tenacity to strengthen our communities. “Pillars of Support” certificates were given to express appreciation for the valuable partners who support the LVFSC mission to empower adults with tutoring and promote literacy in the community. “Bread and Butter” honors were given to organizations and individuals who live in our towns and made financial contributions from fifty dollars to seven thousand dollars, enabling Literacy Volunteers to thrive.
“Each of these people and organizations kept the learning going in 2021,” Barbara Averill, LVFSC Executive Director said. “that is how our Literacy Volunteers programs served 296 people with a Circle of Impact of 888 people.”
“Pillars of Support” Honorees are: Nancy Allen, Greta Espeaignnette, Franklin County Adult Education, Lisa Laflin, Nichole Ernest, Kendra Baker, United Way of the Tri-Valley Area, the Maine Humanities Council, Robyn Raymond, Michelle Guillaume, Betsy Bremner, Spruce Mountain Adult Education, Hedy Langdon, Phillips Public Library, Jeremy Lehan, Skowhegan Adult Education, Ginny Marriner and Literacy Volunteers of Kennebec.
“Community Connectors” Honorees are: Elizabeth Cooke, Dan Palmer, Maggie Davis, Claire Levesque, Carole Kane, Aishah Wolfstone, Ashley Turcotte, Work First, Gwen Doak, the League of Women Voters Speaker’s Bureau, Tania Dawson, Janis Walker, Sabrina Keene, Healthy Community Coalition, Jaimi Buck, Karen Russell, Lacey Elder, Jessica Simoneau, Melissa Hatch, Caitlin Turner, Natasha Mcelmurry, Wayne Mathieu, and Sara Beech.
“Learners who Lead” Honorees are: Jaimi Buck and Brianna Rush, Dorothy Richard, Lorrie Chicoine, Brian Folsom, Joanna Ladd, and Rachel Burnham.
“Bread and Butter” Honorees are: Peter and Delinda Smith, Western Maine Financial Services, Becky Jasch, Laine Kuehn, Sally Speich, and Susan and Fritz Onion Established in 1978 as a 501(3c) public nonprofit, Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties enjoys partnerships with over 61 collaborators and 63 volunteers to engage adults who read at a level below the twelfth grade level and to share literacy. LVFSC offers 3 primary programs; adult tutoring program serves individualized tutoring partnerships in addition to group tutoring partnerships, the annual poetry contest for all ages and abilities is open every spring, and the gently used free book programs gave out 1671 books in 2021.
For a copy of the annual report, for more information, or to volunteer contact LVFSC at literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com, call 500-3131, or visit their secure website at westernmaineliteracy.org.
The following list tells the story of what the Health, Happiness, and Hope honorees bring to the Literacy Volunteers community. List of 2021 deeds: transportation services, book storage, a brand new classroom, technology, internet, book discussion facilitation, mentoring, support, resources for rich curriculum development, writing workshops, stocked book shelves, adaptation to virtual platforms, improved data collection, tutoring support, a field trip to learn about town water quality management, educate and inform about Covid 19, gift of exceptional time, talent, and commitment, writing workshop presentations, and acquisition of digital literacy skills.
