Winnebago County
Literacy Council

"We teach so others may reach"

106 Washington Ave
Oshkosh, WI 54901
920.236.5185
www.winlit.org

The Winnebago County Literacy Council (WCLC) has been providing literacy services to adults throughout Winnebago County since its inception in 1989. The primary focus of the agency is to provide one-to-one tutoring opportunities to adults reading at or below a fourth-grade level. The WCLC utilizes trained volunteer tutors to teach adult students how to read and apply basic survival literacy skills to everyday life.

New Benefactors!

Each month, we acknowledge our new or renewing benefactors. These are hard working business people and friends who are willing to share their resources to see the Winnebago County Literacy Council and its programs grow.
To view the list of new or renewing benefactors, click here!

What's New

A big thanks to Apple Blossom Books on North Main Street and Michelle Monte Independent Representative for The Pampered Chef, who partnered to hold a cooking and entertaining demonstration at the book store. Apple Blossom's owner, Candy Pearson, offered discounts on cookbooks and a percentage of their sales are going to be donated to the Winnebago Literacy Council. Michelle Monte donated a percentage of her sales to the Winnebago Literacy Council. That amounts to 20% of all sales. In addition, home parties booked and held in Nov, Dec, and Jan will get an additional donation of $5 from Michelle to the Literacy Council. To set a date call Michelle at 233-9878.

WCLC Board Member

Hi everyone!  My name is Joe Manske and I am the President of the Winnebago County Literacy Council.  I have been the President for approximately one year and have been tutoring for the Literacy Council for three years.

            I work as a private practice attorney in my family law firm, Manske Law Office, and have been there for the past five years.  I was born and raised in Oshkosh, and have been a life-long resident of Winnebago County.  I attended Marian College of Fond du Lac, and then attended law school at Thomas M. Cooley Law School in Lansing, Michigan.  My hobbies are traveling, camping, watching movies, and cooking.  I also enjoy tennis, listening to music, and most of all........reading! 

            The Winnebago County Literacy Council is a wonderful organization that I am proud to be a part of.  I enjoy promoting literacy in the lives of both individuals and families.  The Literacy Council has made great progress over the past several years and we hope to have continued success in the future.  It is great to be able to work with so many wonderful people that care about promoting literacy.  I am committed to the issue of literacy, and I want to improve the quality of life for those living in the Winnebago County area. 

            Joe Manske

            President

            Winnebago County Literacy Council

Programs

One-on-One Literacy Tutoring

WCLC provides one-to-one tutoring opportunities to adults and families in the areas of Basic Literacy, ESL, Family Literacy, Math, Workplace Literacy, and Citizenship.

One-on-One Family Literacy Tutoring Program

WCLC will recruit and train volunteer tutors to work with families in their homes, or another mutually agreed upon location in order to improve literacy levels and promote learning together as a family. This program hopes to empower parents to see themselves as their child’s first and best teacher.

Family Literacy Program

The Family Literacy Program serves refugee families needing to learn survival English. This Family literacy Program provides an Adult English as a Second Language (ESL) classes for parents while their children received age appropriate learning in an Early Learning Classroom at the same time.

For information on any of these programs, contact Raissa Reimer at reimer@winlit.org or call 236-5219 ext. 4802.

Events

You’re invited to join us at the Seventh Annual Corporate and Middle School Spelling Bee, entitled, “How Do You Spell Chocolate?” This fun competition, with a free chocolate sampling and silent auction will take place on February 16, 2008 at the Oshkosh Public Library.
It’s a great, grownup spelling bee with rules, and judges, and a spell caller just waiting to trip you up on a difficult word! The winning team will receive a trophy and plaque; the plaque will be a “traveling” plaque that will follow the winners of future spelling bees. To register your team call 920.236.5185.

Interested in being a sponsor of this year’s event? Several sponsorship levels are still available.

Volunteer Spotlight

Each month we will spotlight a WCLC volunteer for their commitment to the Council, but more importantly, for their commitment to the student they tutor.

My name is Breanna Augustine and I am currently a sophomore at UW-Oshkosh, studying nursing. As a chairperson for a Titan Volunteers committee, one of my duties is to find volunteer events for our members. While searching for activities, I came across the WCLC's Family Literacy program. Since I didn’t have a class during the times the class meets, I thought, “Why not!”

I believed this would be a beneficial activity, not only for my personal growth but to help these families.  I can’t imagine the struggles the families must face in learning a different language while actually living in this country.  If I can help make it a little easier for the parents by watching their children while they are in class, I will.  While their parents are working on improving their literacy level, I get to work with their children on improving their own literacy skills.  Besides solely volunteering to help the families, volunteering also helps shape the person I am.  As much as this sounds like a cliché, I hope I am making the world a better place by creating an example of how people shouldn’t be so self-oriented and help others.  Since I am a nursing major, volunteering also helps me meet a diverse population of people and work on my social skills instead of just hanging out on campus with college students—all beneficial to me becoming a better nurse.

Wanted!

Business or articles of interest to the WCLC readership.

Do you have an article or item of interest to the business or education community that will benefit our tutors or students? We'd enjoy your input! This is a great way to spotlight your company, message or name! Contact Liz Rice Janzen!

Support WCLC with Goodsearch.com and raise money!

Give to charity just by searching the internet. An easy way to help us is through a new Yahoo!-powered search engine called GoodSearch.com. GoodSearch will make a one cent donation to the WCLC every time you search the internet. Simply go to www.goodsearch.com, and under "Who do you search for" select Winnebago County Literacy Council - WCLC (Oshkosh, WI). The more people who use this site, the more money will go to the WCLC, so please spread the word to your friends and family!

Contact Us!

The easiest way to contact us is using email - you've seen our email address throughout - that of Liz Rice Janzen! Our phone number and mail address are:

920.236.5185 phone
920.236.5227 fax
106 Washington Ave. Oshkosh, WI 54901

Closing Notes:

Farewell to Deb Kortbein. We wish her well in her new position and look forward to new opportunities to collaborate with Head Start!

An extended opportunity has come my way.  I have accepted a new position with the UW Oshkosh Head Start Program.  I will continue working with children and their families at a full time capacity as a Family Support Specialist.  I will also continue to work part time for the Council in support of the PACT (Parents And Children Together) program until January 2008.  Along with ADVOCAP's and Catholic Charities efforts, we have worked diligently to be able to provide this eight week session to our Dinka Refugee families.  Because I strongly believe in the mission of the Winnebago County Literacy Council, I will continue my future endeavors to support them.

A special "Thank You" to Raissa and Liz who have been supportive of this difficult decision.

This is not a goodbye to the students, tutors, and other friends I have made here, but rather a "See ya later."

Winnebago County Literacy Council relies exclusively on volunteers and gifts from our community to serve in our community. If you are willing to volunteer time or give a gift of money, thank you!