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!

Aurora Health Care Supports theWCLC

We're pleased to announce the WCLC's partnership with Aurora Health Care. With Aurora's support we will add a health literacy component to our Family Literacy Program. Working with the patient educators from Aurora, specific health care issues will be addressed. Topics will range from the basic (such as the need for hand washing) to reading and understanding prescription directions.

By using the “teach back method” we can more easily track how students are comprehending the presented material.  Scenarios will be created that our students could encounter with their health care providers and allow them the opportunity to practice being more involved in their own and their family’s health care.

Younker's Community Day

November 15, 2008

The WCLC is selling coupon booklets to the public for $5 each, keeping 100% of the proceeds! Each booklet contains coupons valid during Younker's Community Day One Day Sale on November 15th.

What will customers receive in each booklet?With each $5 coupon booklet purchase, customers receive:

• One $10 coupon, good toward any item of $10 or more (exclusions apply)
• Eight additional coupons, each good for up to 20% off one item (exclusions apply)—in addition to our special One Day Sale prices.

Pick up your booklet at the Literacy Council office. Questions, call Liz at 236-5185.

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

WCLC Board Member

Bob Poeschl

I have been involved with the Winnebago County Literacy Council as a board member since early 2007 and currently serve as the Vice President. I will begin my term as President in August. Before that time I helped organize small fundraisers for the WCLC

.

I chose to assist the council for many reason. First, the ability to read is a necessity that is needed to allow one to beneficially interact in one's home, community, work and in school. Second, I work with and advocate for people with developmental and cognitive disabilities. A couple of them are provided services through the Literacy Council. I see the impact that this organization has on their everyday lives. I feel that my deep understanding of non-profit organizations gives me an interesting perspective as a board member.

I was born, raised and solely educated in Oshkosh. I have a Bachelor's Degree in Religious Studies from the University Wisconsin Oshkosh. I am employed by ARC Winnebago County Disability Association. In my free time, which is slim,

I read a great deal, garden, and collect old books, maps and art.

I live with my beautiful life partner, Jenna and our budding boys, Jedediah (2.5) and Kallum (5 months) where Lake Winnebago kisses the Fox River.

The WCLC welcomes Barbara Herzog (retired Assistant Superintendent of Instruction, OASD) and Debra Mosher (US Bank, Vice President Consumer Loan Servicing ) to our Board of Directors. We are always looking for more Board members who believe in advocating for literacy issues in the Oshkosh community and throughout Winnebago County.  We hope you may find yourself being a part of changing people’s lives here in Oshkosh.  Meetings are held the third Thursday of the month at the Oshkosh Public Library from 4 - 5 PM. Interested students or individuals should contact Liz Rice Janzen, Executive Director, at 236-5185, or email her at janzen@winlit.org.

Family Literacy

Our June outing to the zoo was the perfect wrap-up to a great year! As we stopped to see each animal, lots of questions were asked and there were many amusing observations given by the kids. The families were particularly entranced by the antics of the monkeys and groundhogs, the ancient looking tortoise, and the calm beauty of the elk family. Even the weather was ideal while we enjoyed a snack of animal crackers (what else!?) and ice-pops.
We're all looking forward to next year! See the slide show of our trip!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/28440758@N02/sets/72157606083857264/show/

Tutor Resource

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

Programs

Location:  Menasha Public Library

Dates: August 5th, 6th, 12th & 13th (Tuesdays & Wednesdays)

Time: 6:00pm – 9:00pm

Location:  Menasha Public Library

Date: Saturday, August 16     

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

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

Not very good at Scrabble®?
No problem. You may buy extra letters, sneak peeks in the dictionary, and even get expert advice. The more you raise in pledges the more opportunities you'll have!

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

Karen Seifert and Gary Firebaugh

I am a tutor for the Winnebago County LIteracy Council. I meet with my very special student, Gary, each week and teach him to read. People have many different reasons why they volunteer. I enjoy the personal contact of working with someone one on one. I try to imagine how you would get through your day if you weren't able to read. To be able to share that gift with someone is priceless. Gary and I have been working together for five years. There is nothing like the thrill of seeing someone struggle and finally accomplish smething. Gary's motto is "I'm never going to give up." I hope we can keep learning from each other for a long time.

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

Wanted!

Adult Literacy Tutoring Program

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

Juice

Crackers

Napkins and paper plates

Play dough

Office Supplies

Dry eraser markers (wipe boards)

Copy paper

Manila file folders

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

Of Interest

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!

National Commission on Adult Literacy Report – Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce

ALMOST 90 MILLION AMERICAN ADULTS ILLEQUIPPED TO MEET 21 ST CENTURY WORKPLACE NEEDS, NATIONAL COMMISSION ON ADULT LITERACY FINDS

“Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce” shows more than half of our nation’s workforce requires more education and skills training to maintain America’s quality of life and keep pace with global economy; Congressman Kennedy to introduce legislation.

“June 26, 2008 Washington D.C. – The National Commission on Adult Literacy (The Commission) released today its final report, Reach Higher, America: Overcoming Crisis in the U.S. Workforce, revealing that between 88 and 90 million adults aren’t prepared to meet the demands of today’s global economy or secure a family sustaining wage job. Of the 88 to 90 million adults who have at least one educational barrier to economic success, 18 million Americans don’t have a high school diploma, 51 million haven’t gone to college, and 18 million aren’t proficient in their English language and literacy skills.”

To view the rest of the news release, click here:

http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/ReachHigherAmerica/NewsRelease062608.pdf

To view the recently released major report and recommendations of the National Commission on Adult Literacy, click here:

http://www.nationalcommissiononadultliteracy.org/report.html

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!