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!

Giving to the WCLC is Easier in 2008!

Beginning in 2008 you may make a monthly contribution to the Winnebago County Literacy Council by having funds from your savings or checking account automatically deposited to the WCLC. You simply decide on the amount you want to contribute, click on our the credit/debit authorization form, complete and return the form to us, and we'll do the rest!

Credit/Debit Authorization Form

New Partners!

Three Heritage Makers consultants are pleased to announce they will be donating 25% of their profits to the Literacy Council for sales generated through people, parties, and events associated with the Literacy Council.  Heritage Makers is a web-based system of creating your own hardcover, professionally-published storybooks, posters, calendars, and cards.  For more information, visit www.AStoryToHold.com or email Carolyn Dargevics at cadargevics@yahoo.com.  You may also phone the consultants: Kate Thome at 920-379-0616, Rhonda Gustafson at 920-740-4277, and Carolyn Dargevics at 920-203-3610.

Support WCLC with Goodsearch.com and raise money!

What if the WCLC earned a penny every time you searched the Internet? Or how about if a percentage of every purchase you made online went to support our cause? Well, now it can!

Use http://www.goodsearch.com/ as your search engine - we earn a penny for every search you do.

GoodSearch.com is a new Yahoo-powered search engine that donates half its advertising revenue, about a penny per search, to the charities its users designate. Use it just as you would any search engine, get quality search results from Yahoo, and watch the donations add up!

GoodShop.com is a new online shopping mall which donates up to 37 percent of each purchase to your favorite cause! Hundreds of great stores including Amazon, Target, Gap, Best Buy, ebay, Macy's and Barnes & Noble have teamed up with GoodShop and every time you place an order, you’ll be supporting your favorite cause.

Just go to www.goodsearch.com and be sure to enter the Winnebago County Literacy Council as the charity you want to support. And, be sure to spread the word!

"We Care" Pick n' Save

You can support the WCLC each time you shop at Pick n' Save. Stop at the customer service desk and ask to have the WCLC account number assigned to your card. Each time you use your card we get a donation!

What's New

Dana Koch is the new Adult and Family Educator for the Winnebago County Literacy Council.  She is looking forward to working with members of the community who want to tutor adults and children in reading and communication skills. 

“I have always been impressed by the range of possibilities we have here in our country.  People have a real opportunity to help those less fortunate than themselves, whether they speak English or another language.  It just requires a little time and attention from people who want to make a difference.” 

She hopes that you will be part of this process of helping both native English speakers and speakers of other languages improve their language skills.  She hopes it will enrich your life as much as it has hers!

To contact her, call (920) 236-5219 ext. 4830 or e-mail her at koch@winlit.org at the Winnebago County Literacy Council at the Oshkosh Public Library.

Tutor Resource

Looking for a good website with ideas and literacy tools to use? Check out http://www.thinkfinity.org/home.aspx.

Attention Tutors: Are you looking for materials to teach your student about fire safety in the home? If so, we have some low-level short stories and handouts discussing escape plans and being prepared for fires, as well as thunderstorms, tornadoes and floods. If your student is at a higher level, the materials may be useful for them to discuss with their children. If interested in viewing or using these materials, please talk with Raissa.

We have some Hmong-English children's stories (not to be checked out) that tutors/students can use. This is a good way for Hmong students to share their language with their tutor if they are able to read/speak it. Books are located in Family Literacy Cabinet in the 3rd floor lobby area.

Programs

Location:  Oshkosh Public Library, 3rd floor training room

Dates: May 6th, 8th, 13th, 15th (Tuesdays & Thursdays)       

Time: 9:00am – 12:00pm

Location:  Oshkosh Public Library, 3rd floor training room

Date: Wednesday, May 21st      

Time: 9:00am-1:00pm

Help open someone's world to opportunities once never thought possible.
Give the gift of reading -- register for a workshop today!!!

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 train volunteer tutors to work with families at the library, 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

Human Race 2008

Hosted by the Volunteer Center of Oshkosh, the Walk/Run will occur on May 3rd , 2008 at 9:00 am in Menominee Park. We need your help! By participating in this non-competitive 5K Walk/Run you will be helping to generate support for our much needed programming at the Winnebago County Literacy Council.

Here’s how it works:

• First: Have us mail you your own Human Race Application Form or click on the link to download your own, Human Race WCLC Registration Form and ask family, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and even the pizza delivery person to donate to a great cause, the Winnebago County Literacy Council. No amount is too small! Feel free to talk up the great successes you are having with your student and how this agency is helping Oshkosh become more literate.
• Second: Collect the pledges as you receive them. Again someone can pledge $5, $10, $20, $50, or $100 any amount is acceptable. Donors are not pledging per mile or anything, just one flat donation. Checks can be made payable to the Human Race. Pledges can be made and collected right up to the event date, May 3, 2008.
• Third: Either turn in your pledges to us at the Winnebago County Literacy Council by May 1st at noon if you want to help, but can’t participate. Or if you want to join in the actual Walk/Run Event, you can meet me and other supporters of literacy at Menominee Park during the event registration which runs from 8:15-9:00 am and turn your pledges in there. All Walkers/Runners who turn in at least $25 in pledges are eligible to receive a t-shirt to remember the day by.

Thanks and we hope to see you there! Please invite your student to walk with you in the event. We are trying to have a visible presence at this year’s event. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to call us.

Dana, Liz & Raissa

SCRABBLE BEE

Becket's Restaurant

City Center

5:30-9:30

Grab 3 of your friends, colleagues or co-workers and register your team to compete against others

Register now, space is limited!

Team Registration $100

Includes Food and Door Prizes.

Cash Bar

Team Registration Form

Pledge Sheet

Watch for additional details in upcoming issues

Winnebago County Literacy Council 7th Annual Spelling Bee a Success!

St. John Neumann Middles School Team Wins WCLC Middle School Bee!

The Oshkosh Public Library Team Reclaims Their Title as Bee Champs!

Join us next year, Saturday, February 21, 2009

Volunteer Spotlight!

Through countless acts of kindness, volunteers across America are changing their communities for the better. During National Volunteer Week, April 27 - May 3, we recognize those who make the time to help others. National Volunteer Week is an opportunity to for all of us at the Winnebago County Literacy Council to show appreciation for our volunteers. The time and energy they dedicate to helping our students is priceless.

Teri Lord
Evonne Vergin
Kathy Harris
Lynn Artz
Jeff Huppert
John Ellis
Joe Manske
Karen Seifert
Don Hansen
Sister Mary Jo Palma
Sharon Schraufnagel
Paul Florea
Paul Janty
Jeanne Collins
Mary Moore
Amelia Wolff
Eunice Eggenberger
Judy Siebold
Bonnie Smith
Raisa Ramos
Marge Brehm
Marcia Pockat
Don Bruex
Kristi Boushele
Stepheny Mulholland
Fred Boeder
Patty Stenz
Sandra Gade
Cindy Brun
Carol Reigh
Joanne Staudacher
Suzanne Werner
Susan Sonnenberg
Lisa Weckwerth
Natalie Johnson
Tim McKeon
Ann Prickett
Dana Koch
Michael Greene
Don Hansen
Carol Schuenke
De De Harrison
Chris Lang
Dave Wasinger
Dianne Kutnink
Theresa Becker
Shirlene Narveson-Woodrow
Ginger Selle
Susan Schellenger
Alex Hummel
Joan Miller
Marcie Wilson
Tina Krueger
Michael Gray
Todd Fonstad
Laura Fisher
John Anderson
Bev Albrecht
Jeanne Samson
David Keck
Elizabeth Hayward
Stephan Glander
Rebecca Huebner
Pat Riehl
Mike Lopresti
Donna Wolf
Carol Doubek
Mary Mueller
Jim Barthel
Lila Boucher
Dorothy Frohn
Carol Kossel
Laura Rommelfanger
Ashley Procknow
Kathryn Bender
Natalie Verwiel
Barbara Urbrock
Dorothy Frohn
Bebe Lestrom
Angela Buchholz
Robin Eckstein
Stephanie Marcks
Jessica Anderson
Michele Sliwicki

Thank you Vicky Schroeder and 4Imprint for the donation of post it notes and magnifying reading bars!

Wanted!

Adult Literacy Tutoring Program

Magnifying Reading Bars (5)

Cassette players with recording option

Blank cassette tapes

Family Literacy Program

Gift certificates to grocery stores to purchase snacks

Small to medium size foam or Dixie cups

Napkins and paper plates

Play dough

Office Supplies

Paper shredder

Dry eraser markers (wipe boards)

Copy paper

Manila file folders

Black and color ink cartridges (Black is 96 Color is 97)

Of Interest

The Imagination Library

The Imagination Library is a program that will provide new, age-appropriate books for children in Oshkosh (ages birth up to 5 years). The books are addressed and delivered to the child’s house every month, regardless of socioeconomic status. Currently, in  Oshkosh, there are approximately 4,600 children who are eligible for this program. 

According to Sue Panek (Executive Director of the OAUW),  “This year our target is to enroll approximately 25% of the children who are eligible.  As we continue to generate funding for the project, we will hopefully be able to reach our goal of 100% enrollment in the next couple of years." Families may now sign up online directly with the Dolly Parton Foundation.  http://www.dollysimaginationlibrary.com/online_reg_step1.php

Does Oshkosh Know More Than a 5th Grader?

That question will be answered on Saturday May 31st   from 2:00-4:00 p.m. in the Oshkosh North High School Auditorium.  That is when the Oshkosh Area United Way (OAUW) will be hosting Oshkosh’s own version of “Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader.” Eight teams of four will compete against each other (with the help of some local 5th graders) for the privilege of receiving a traveling trophy.  All of the proceeds from the event will help fund the Imagination Library. 

Anyone interested in information about either the Imagination Library, or about sponsoring or competing in Does Oshkosh Know More Than a 5th Grader should contact Sandra Reeser at the Oshkosh Area United Way  at sandrar@oshkoshunitedway.org or call 235-8560.

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!

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:

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!