Spotlight 07-26-16, Vol. 78. No. 28

Posted by Richard Perlberg on Jul 28, 2016
 
Today's speaker was Lorna Durand, president of the Livingston County Literacy Coalition. She was introduced by Nancy Johnson.
 
PROGRAM: Lorna Durand, president of the Livingston County Literacy Coalition, was today’s speaker. She was introduced by Nancy Johnson.
GUESTS: Jane Lalama (Lori’s mom); Princess Anna (daughter of Rachele); Shane Mckenzie (Week 3).
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
  • President Adrienne Knack reminded members that board meetings are 11 a.m. on the second Tuesday of each month. All are welcome.
  • Maribeth Regnier was joined by Kim Coates, Ron Hagen and Donna Craig after last week’s meeting when they delivered a cake and some hugs to the Brighton Police Department.
  • Mike McManus announced that the new satellite club finished its first project Saturday, doing a house clean-up for the widow of a veteran. Also helping out from our club were Dennis Whitney and Leslie Koehler.
  • Bill Anderson told the club that good-guy Dennis Whitney purchased all of Bill’s March of Dimes raffle tickets last week, and then gave them Undersheriff Mike Murphy (last week’s speaker) to hand out to deputies. Bill, by the way, will have more raffle tickets available next week, so you can still get a chance at that loaded Ford 150.
  • Piet Lindhout says that August 17 is the Day of Caring. Rotary Raiders have not yet been given an assignment, “but it will be magnificent.”
  • Ron Cleveland was getting a haircut when he saw a storm tracking on the TV and noted how unusual it was that it was coming from the east. His barber then reminded him that he was watching the TV in a mirror.
  • Nancy Johnson reminded people that there is a lot of good information in Rotary’s Digital District newsletter, including the fact that George Moses won the Sunrise Rotary duck July Fourth duck race, the second time in the last three years.
  • Julie Smith brought some vegetables; she didn’t want to take them home, so she invited everyone to help themselves.
PROGRAM: Lorna Durand is the president of Livingston County Literacy Coalition, a group that has a long history with Brighton Rotary, dating back to the days of the Rotary Readers. Lorna is a Rotarian (Sunrise Club), an avid Spartan (are there any other kind?), and she is passionate about learning, evidenced by a 30-plus career in education, including a principal for 19 years in the Livonia system.
The Literacy Coalition was formed in 2009. She notes that Livingston County has a significant population that falls within the definition of ALICE (Asset Limited Income Constrained Employed.) These are people who don’t earn enough to thrive in the area but earn too much to qualify for many or most aid programs. People who are not functionally literate have difficulties in getting good jobs, performing well and even in producing effective resumes. They can also suffer from low self-esteem and have difficulty passing on good reading habits to their children. Functional literacy requires basic reading, writing and numerical skills. The financial cost of illiteracy are great, including lower wagers, lower tax receipts and even higher crime rates.
The Coalition is always in need of dedicated tutors who are not only given training but who are also professionally matched with a learner. Strategies mapped out by the coalition include: books in backpacks, booths at high-traffic events, providing tutors for the Great Start program, providing resume-writing and job-interviewing training, a countywide book drive, and a community billboard. A new web site is ready to launch.
What can an individual do? Donate money, volunteer as a tutor, join the board or the steering committee.
 
50-50. It was up to 780 bucks, but the Ace of Spades proved elusive for April Dertian, Brian Donovan and Jerry Hardesty.