Editor’s note: This is the third in a series of articles profiling winners of the Celebration of Giving awards presented by Shawano Area Community Foundation Inc. for outstanding volunteerism. The winners will be honored at a gala Tuesday.
There is a skill that many people use so often they take it for granted.
In fact, you’re using it right now.
Reading is an essential skill, yet there are many that go without it well into their adult lives. The National Center for Education Statistics estimates that 8.8 percent of Shawano County residents lack basic prose literacy skills, higher than the estimate of 7.3 percent for Wisconsin as a whole.
The Shawano County Literacy Council, a volunteer-run nonprofit organization, was founded in 1993 to help those people.
The SCLC connects tutors with adults who need help learning to read, getting a better education or obtaining their citizenship.
“Most of the adults that we tutor are people that are seeking to improve their lives and get a better job,” said Pat Garbelman, chairperson of the six-member SCLC board. “They want to become independent, financially independent, as opposed to being a burden on society.”
Garbelman joined the organization five years ago when she retired from Lincoln Elementary School after a 35-year teaching career.
“Soon after I retired, this lady I know that’s in the program grabbed me and said, ‘Come to a meeting,’” Garbelman said. “She got me involved right away. It’s definitely been rewarding.”
Garbelman is currently tutoring a mother of three working to get her GED.
“That GED program is not easy. It’s tough,” Garbelman said. “She’s very intelligent. I have a positive outlook for her.”
The program averages about 45 students at a time.
“Most of our students come by word of mouth because they have family members that want the same education,” Garbelman said.
Making the program free is important to the group.
“The thing that limits most of our students is the cost factor,” Garbelman said. “So we want our adult students to come in and not have to worry about paying for a workbook, paying for a textbook. We offer those materials free of charge. Our tutoring services are free. There’s no cost whatsoever. That in itself attracts students to our program.”
The group is able to function because of the generosity of its tutors.
“We’re a nonprofit. We rely solely on donations,” Garbelman said. “We do fill out grants, but not a single person is paid. It’s a totally volunteer program.”
The group has 15 tutors and could always use more.
“We’re always, always looking for tutors,” Garbelman said. “They do need to go through three days of training. It’s very minimal. The training is offered at the Green Bay Literacy Council. Our council pays for the tutor to get trained.”
The council’s generosity and hard work has won the group this year’s Bill Mielke Volunteer Educator Award and $1,000 from the Shawano Area Community Foundation. The award is sponsored by the Mielke Family Foundation.
SCLC will get a $1,000 prize that Garbelman, who nominated the group, said will help purchase supplies.
“That money will be used for books, workbooks, things that (students) may need to learn English,” Garbelman said. “I know the new GED has brand new books as of 2014. We have to purchase a whole new series of books in that area.”
Anyone interested in being a student or a tutor can contact the group at 715-524-6506 or shawanolitco@yahoo.com.
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