Literacy Volunteers - Chippewa Valley Blog

Family Literacy Eggroll Fundraiser

2012-01-19T07:00:00.000-08:00

Last month, LVCV Family Literacy students embarked on a fundraiser. With start-up funds from the Eau Claire Community Foundation Women's Giving Circle “Empowering Women through Savingsand Leadership” grant students planned, designed, and implemented their fundraiser. This unique grant program first helped the women in the program open savings accounts. Matching funds from the grant were then deposited whenever one of the women made a contribution. In the following year a leadership council was created.

Council officers were selected by their peers and then ran in an election. These women were charged with deciding how best to use the available funds. It was this year that the women decided they wanted to grow their fund. An eggroll sale was proposed and selected. With the help of their teachers students determined the costs of materials, the time needed to complete the project, created a sales sheet and then pre-sold the eggrolls to LVCV staff and community members. This multi-disciplinary project allowed them to practice many skills.

Students creating an order form and practicing taking orders

All of the women were involved in the making of the eggrolls. For many of them this process was second nature but for others a learning experience! The eggrolls were sold in sets of 6 or 12. Through the entire cooking process students used ServSafe food handling techniques to ensure the food was properly handled.

Overall the project was a huge success with many happy customers! A big thank you to the Eau Claire Community Foundation Women's Giving Circle for the grant that provided the opportunity to make this happen!

SMART Goals

2012-01-17T07:00:00.000-08:00

When it is time to sit down and create goals the best goals are SMART goals!

What is a SMART goal?

S - Specific
M - Measurable
A - Attainable
R - Realistic
T - Timely

Specific - A specific goal answers the 5 W's of Who, What, where, When, and Why. If you can't answer all of these then your goal may need to be changed a little.

Measurable - How will you know when you meet your goal? Is there a way to measure success?

Attainable - How will you make your goal come true? Is there a way to meet it? If not then the goal really isn't attainable.

Realistic - A goal must represent an objective that you are will and able to work towards. Is it realistic to lose 50 pounds in a month? Not really. This isn't a realistic goal.

Timely - Give yourself a deadline. This allows you to measure and see your progress. Without a deadline you won't have the same push!

January: Goal Setting Month

2012-01-13T07:51:00.000-08:00

Welcome back for a brand new month of posts! This month we're focusing on goal setting. January is the month that is notorious for making (and often breaking) resolutions. Instead of focusing on a resolution we're encouraging our students and tutors to look at goal setting this month. As a part of student intake that persons' goals are discussed and set.

Have you reviewed these goals lately?

Or perhaps you have met the goals that had been set originally. Is it time to set new goals?

Brian Tracy is a leading expert on goal setting, leadership and time management and has found through his research that "only 3% of adults have clear, written, measurable, time-bounded goals and by every statistic they (the 3%) accomplish 10x more than people without goals."

Are you surprised?

A great article he wrong focused on planning your year. It is great advice for anyone to get ready for 2012! In the coming weeks we'll be sharing more great ideas for getting your goals set and met for the year!

Staff Favorites: Mary Beth and Amanda

2011-12-27T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today's staff favorite books are from Mary Beth and Amanda. Mary Beth is the executive director of Literacy Volunteers and Amanda is the fund development and community outreach coordinator. Here are their favorite books!

Mary Beth

Fiction: The Time Traveler's Wife, it is brilliantly written, the language is beautiful and the complex plot holds up throughout the book.

Non-fiction: Lives of a Cell by Lewis Thomas, I have always been fascinated by this book.

Children's book: I have lots of favorites. Wind in the Willows, Charlotte's Web, Laura Ingalls Wilder, Bread and Jam for Francis are a few of them.

Amanda

Fiction: The Kite Runner by Khaled Hosseini and The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald. I really love reading and challenge myself to read at least 20 new books every year. I love the Kite Runner for the way Hosseini tells the story. I read this book in 3 hours on a train and relished every single word! The Great Gatsby was the first piece of "classic" literature that I read in school and really enjoyed. It didn't feel like an assignment but a pleasurable experience.

Nonfiction: The Looming Tower by Lawrence Wright and Stolen Lives: 20 Years in a Desert Jail by Malika Oufkir. The Looming Tower was the first book I had read that made me really question beliefs that I had held for a long time. The book is not dry and boring like some non-fiction can be but is very engaging and reads like a novel. Stolen Lives was the first book that made me think critically about the world. It's also the first time I had heard about Morocco, making it a lifelong dream to go there (I did and met my husband there too!) The book is raw, thought provoking and heart breaking.

Children's: My favorites were always the Amelia Bedelia books specifically Amelia Bedelia and the Baby by Peggy Parish. I really wished I would have had an Amelia Bedelia in my life!

Staff Favorites: Jeanne and Laura

2011-12-22T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today's staff favorite picks are from two staff members. Jeanne is an Eau Claire Family Literacy Educator and Laura is the LVCV Education Coordinator. Here are their favorite books!

Jeanne

Fiction: Edwidge Danticat is one of my favorite authors and I especially liked The Farming of Bones.

Nonfiction: Teacher , by Sylvia Ashton-Warner. Also her autobiography I Passed this Way. She taught me about teaching

As a child I loved The Secret Garden by Frances H. Burnett. But now I read Cars and Trucks and Things That Go to my grandson (like I did with my son) and can't wait to read Goodnight Gorilla and all of the Mouse books.

Laura

Nonfiction: "What the {Bleep} Do We Know?"

This books presented me with some very different ways of looking at things. Most of the concepts are still beyond my total understanding.

Children's Book: The entire Laura Ingalls Wilder series. I was first attracted because she had the same first and middle name. But it was her pioneering spirit that captivates me, even today.

Staff Favorites: Chalsea

2011-12-20T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today's staff favorite book picks come from Chalsea. She works in our jail program as well is in our open learning lab. Here are some of her very favorite books!

Fiction: Chronicles of Narnia by C.S. Lewis. Each one of these books is packed with adventure, but the lessons I've taken from them, even as an adult, are precious to me. Each character faces their own flaws and weaknesses and given opportunities to rise above and prove their strengths. Everyone is challenged in their own way and each becomes more than he/she thought they could. And good always conquers evil. Every time I read them, Lewis' vivid descriptions catch me up and take me right along with them.

Nonfiction: I love nonfiction and you'll usually find me reading true crime - go figure- but my favorite is a tie between two recent reads. The Glass Castle is Jeanette Walls' horrible, touching, and brilliant memoir. She tells the story of growing up in her dysfunctional family with her alcoholic, paranoid, irresponsible father, her artistic, narcissistic, mentally ill mother, and her two younger siblings. Her book is horrible because it's so hard for me to know that these children were subjected to the absolute poverty and dysfunction she describes. There's a moment when they haven't eaten for days and she finds her mother hiding under blankets eating a candy bar. At that, I threw the book across the room (and then chased it down and kept reading). It's touching because despite the utter chaos,there are moments where there is a sincere sense of family and compassion. I found myself rooting for these kids and ultimately trying to find ways to root for mom and dad. It's brilliant because she weaves these horrible and touching moments together in such a real and soulful way.

The second book is God Grew Tired of Us, a memoir by John Bul Dau. John was a young Dinka boy living in Sudan with his family in the middle of the Sudanese civil war. He and his entire village ran from their homes during the middle of the night under gunfire and his story chronicles his travel by foot to and from many refugee camps. John joined thousands of other young boys in these journeys plagued with hunger, disease, hostile tribes, wild animals, and death. Ultimately, John's journey ends with a sponsorship to America and his beginning of a new life. This story touched me deeply for a number of reasons, but what tugged my heart was his persistence and resilience in spite of circumstances that would cripple any adult and his absolute compassion and faith in humankind despite what he saw and experienced on a daily basis. His story is beautiful and an important one to tell.

Children's book: Hands down, Roald Dahl is a genius. I absolutely love his humor, his creativity, and the wacky stories he brings to life. There's no way I could choose just one: Matilda, The Witches, The BFG, The Twits, Esio Trot, George's Marvelous Medicine, Fantastic Mr. Fox, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Charlie and the Great Glass Elevator, James and the Giant Peach, and more! There's no way my children will escape childhood without being introduced to this man's amazing work!

Staff Favorites: Marge and Barb

2011-12-15T06:00:00.000-08:00

It's time for another installment of staff favorite books! Today's books are the favorites of Marge and Barb. Marge teaches at our Family Literacy program and also manages all of our data and technology work. Barb works in our jail program. Here are some of their favorite books.

Marge

Favorite fiction book: My absolute favorite fiction book is actually the Harry Potter Series. Every time I re-read a book, I catch something that I missed a time before.

Favorite children's book: The Magic Tree House series because it's entertaining as well as educational.

Barb

Without a doubt - my favorite children book is The Velveteen Rabbit by Margory Williams. ...what is real, is that you are truly loved no matter what you look like.

Parents Sharing Books

2011-12-13T06:00:00.000-08:00

One of the projects that we work on every year in the Chippewa County Jail is Parents Sharing Books. This program helps not only our students but their children. Barb and Patty who work with our jail program in Chippewa County are sharing this story today.

Being healthy, not only involves eating right, exercising, but also using your mind as in reading. Reading to your child increases listening, speaking, and even writing skills. It also provides a close, healthy bond between parent and child. Small or school-age children whose parent is incarnated also need this healthy, mental stimulation of a reading experience

A unique program, Parents Sharing Books, has been developed by Literacy Volunteers in the county jails of Chippewa, Dunn, and Eau Claire. LVCV correction instructors or volunteers help the inmate select a book and record it onto a CD. The CD and book are gift wrapped and mailed directly to the child. A personal message may also be written in the book or stated orally onto the CD This shared reading experience simulates the activity of lap reading/sharing between parent and child. The books are a collaborative project between LVCV and the National Honor English class at Chippewa Falls High School.

This program is not only meaningful to the incarnated students and their children, but it is also very inspiring for the volunteers who are assisting. Parents Sharing Books usually occurs during the month of December. These recorded gifts help to brighten the lives of the children receiving them during the holiday season.

10 Lost Novels

2011-12-08T06:00:00.000-08:00

Recently there was a story on Huffington Post titled "Jack Kerouac's 'The Sea Is My Brother' and Other Lost Novels". The story highlights 10 novels that were lost but rediscovered and published.

Some of these lost books include;

C.S. Forrester "The Pursued"

Jane Austen "The Watsons"

Louisa May Alcott "The Inheritance"

Jules Verne "Paris"

To see the complete list and to read more about these books you can find the original article here.

Sometimes it's not just unpublished works that are "lost" but our favorite stories. The end of the year is a great time to clean out bookshelves (or even boxes of books) and rediscover some of your favorites and give away those books you've enjoyed and are ready to pass on.

Staff Favorites: Claudia

2011-12-06T06:00:00.000-08:00

Today's post is all about Claudia our Dunn County Tutor/Student Coordinator! We asked staff what some of their favorite books in different categories were and why. Here are some of Claudia's!

Historical fiction: Gone to Soldiers by Marge Piercy. This book tells the story of WWII behind the scenes and through the eyes of primarily women working in the OSS, in transcription, the factories, ferrying airplanes, the French Resistance, with heartwarming and sometimes tragic story lines.

Non-fiction read recently: Born to Run, The Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen by Christopher McDougal; because in my next life I imagine myself a runner.

Favorite Childrens Book: Animalia by Graeme Base, because I am always finding new hidden things.

Watch for more staff favorites coming soon!

December: Read A New Book Month

2011-12-01T12:14:00.001-08:00

The year has quickly passed and December let us know it was here with snow on the first day of the month! Chances are you're busy with family and holiday events this month so why not take some time to relax. Our theme for the month is "Read A New Book Month."

All month we will be encouraging you, our adult learners, tutors and other followers to read! Upcoming blog posts will feature some of our staff favorites as well as other ideas for encouraging new types of reading. We hope you will find these posts interesting.

What are some of your favorite genres? What books do you think are overlooked when choosing a new read?

Wisconsin Well Women’s Program

2011-11-28T11:37:00.001-08:00

One of the lesser known programs in WI to help low-income women is the Wisconsin Well Women’s Program. The aims of this initiative are to provide health screenings for women who have limited access to preventative care screenings due to having little or no health insurance.

The Wisconsin Well Woman Program (WWWP) provides preventive health screening services to women with little or no health insurance coverage. Well Woman pays for mammograms, Pap tests, certain other health screenings, and multiple sclerosis testing for women with high risk signs of multiple sclerosis. The program is administered by the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Division of Public Health, and is available in all 72 Wisconsin Counties and 11 tribes. Well Woman pays for certain screenings for some of the most common women's health concerns.

Breast Cancer
Cervical Cancer
Multiple Sclerosis testing for high risk women

To be eligible

You must be a woman age 45 through 64, and
Your income is within the program's guideline limits , and
You do not have health insurance, or the insurance you have doesn’t cover routine check-ups and screening, or you are unable to pay the deductible or co-payment.

How to Apply

Enroll through a county or tribal Well Woman coordinating agency, or in some cases, through a participating health care provider.
Simple enrollment form; requires proof of age, income and insurance status.

For more information about the Well Woman Program in your area, contact your local Well Woman Program coordinating agency or the Well Woman Program directly at 1-608-266-8311 .

Things to Remember When Visiting the Doctor

2011-11-15T07:47:00.000-08:00

Give your doctor information.

1. Tell your doctor about all your problems

· Ask as many questions to understand your problem.

2. If you don’t ask questions your doctor may think you understand

· Make sure you understand what the doctor is saying.

3. Bring someone with you or ask the doctor to draw a picture.

Remember to follow up.

4. If you feel worse or if you have more questions.

It is very important to have a friend, family member, or your primary caregiver go with you to medical visits, particularly if you have difficulty understanding what your health care provider says or writes down for you. This person can assist in asking questions and can help you follow the recommended treatment once you are home. Remember, it is your health that is at stake!

November: Navigating the Healthcare System

2011-11-11T07:40:00.001-08:00

It’s hard to believe November is already here! This month we’re looking at navigating the healthcare system. This is a very big topic for anyone but especially for those who have limited literacy skills. Join us this month as we explore ideas to help adult students who are faced with these issues. Next week we will also be participating in a homelessness awareness event in Eau Claire. Watch for pictures and feedback from this event.
Some other upcoming posts include;
- The Wisconsin Well Women’s Program
- Questions to Practice with your Student
- Multiple Intelligences and your Student
- Managing Prescription Medications

Technorati Tags: healthcare,literacy,healthcare literacy

Fire and Home Safety

2011-10-04T08:00:00.000-07:00

This month the topic we are focusing on is fire and home safety. This is an important topic that can serve more than one purpose. When talking about home and fire safety students are learning new vocabulary and concepts. They also are learning ways to protect themselves and their families. Lastly they are learning about civics and the different personnel who can assist them in case of an emergency.

Schools all around the country are discussing this important topic with students and in order to implement home safety plans parents need to be on board too! This is a great time to start talking with adult students about this very important subject.

New Beginnings

2011-08-18T10:39:00.000-07:00

Today's post comes from Tutor Training Coordinator Cheryl;

What is it that sets apart a new beginning for you? Is it waiting for a calendar date, saving for a payment, preparing for a schedule change, or getting psyched up? New beginnings are as varied as we are. They don't need to be big or costly to be meaningful. Maybe it's being kinder to family, eating more vegetables this week, or giving a stranger a break.

Regardless of the size or type of new beginning, it can help to "mark it" with something. The intention is to remind yourself (in an encouraging manner) of what you're hoping for. Or it can be placing a tool within your means to assist you. Markers might be a cue that gets your attention or helps you stay with it. Your marker might be something you do for yourself that gets you a little closer to what you want.

I want to be more present in my life more often. I have a scented soap I use in the mornings. I purposely close my eyes and inhale a couple seconds. My tiny ritual includes a particular saying to myself. It fixes nothing and wows no one but it's a meaningful reminder to me. Another one is a candle I have in a simple portable container that glows softly when lit. I light it when thinking of or writing someone. For me it's a spiritual signal to draw from a place of care. If I were to take a class or begin a writing project, I might mark my entry into the project by looking at new desk supplies, maybe something that visually reminds me that my effort is "on purpose". A new mechanical pencil might sound small, but if it's meaningful or helpful, then it counts.

New beginnings. Got one? Want one? Consider if marking it makes sense to you.

Check Presented to Literacy Volunteers

2011-08-08T11:00:00.000-07:00

On July 21^st a check was presented to the organization by some of the youth involved with the program. In lieu of prizes for individual reading milestones participating youth could donate a literacy dollar. At the end of the program year, local businesses provided the monetary donation for the literacy dollars.

Youth participants Mikayla McCann, Bailee Shellenbarger and (not pictured) Arlene Vance with LVCV Community Outreach Coordinator Amanda Mouttaki

Jenna Gilles Youth Programs Coordinator at the library stated how glad she was that the Fall Creek community could help Literacy Volunteers – Chippewa Valley. Eighty youth were registered between K-12 grades in the One World, Many Stories program.

Having great community support is what makes our program work!

The Citizenship Exam: How Would You Do?

2011-07-26T12:00:00.000-07:00

If all of the requirements are met to apply for citizenship, students submit an application and then prepare for the testing portion of the citizenship interview. Applicants are required to demonstrate that they can read, write and understand the English language. This is done through an oral interview (comprehension and speaking are tested this way). The USCIS official then gives the applicant a series of sentences to transcribe. The final portion of the interview is a test to show the applicants knowledge of American history, government and civics. Some of the questions could include;

1. What is the supreme law of the land?

2. What does the Constitution do?

3. The idea of self-government is in the first three words of the Constitution. What are these words?

4. What is an amendment?

5. What do we call the first ten amendments to the Constitution?

6. What is one right or freedom from the First Amendment?*

7. How many amendments does the Constitution have?

8. What did the Declaration of Independence do?

9. What are two rights in the Declaration of Independence?

10. What is freedom of religion?

System of Government

13. Name one branch or part of the government.*

14. What stops one branch of government from becoming too powerful?

15. Who is in charge of the executive branch?

16. Who makes federal laws?

17. What are the two parts of the U.S. Congress?*

18. How many U.S. Senators are there?

19. We elect a U.S. Senator for how many years?

20. Who is one of your state's U.S. Senators?*

21. The House of Representatives has how many voting members?

C: Rights and Responsibilities

48. There are four amendments to the Constitution about who can vote. Describe one of them.

49. What is one responsibility that is only for United States citizens?*

50. What are two rights only for United States citizens?

51. What are two rights of everyone living in the United States?

52. What do we show loyalty to when we say the Pledge of Allegiance?

53. What is one promise you make when you become a United States citizen?

AMERICAN HISTORY

A: Colonial Period and Independence

58. What is one reason colonists came to America?

59. Who lived in America before the Europeans arrived?

60. What group of people was taken to America and sold as slaves?

61. Why did the colonists fight the British?

62. Who wrote the Declaration of Independence?

63. When was the Declaration of Independence adopted?

The USCIS official selects 10 questions to ask the applicant. 7 out of 10 questions must be answered correctly. This exam is not multiple choice, the applicant must know the answer.

How do you think you would do? Try out this online exam and test your knowledge!

Citizenship: What does it take?

2011-07-19T10:16:00.000-07:00

Students being recognized for new US Citizenship!

Generations of immigrants to the United States have anxiously awaited their chance to receive American citizenship. While this process was once a straight-forward and simple procedure, this is no longer the case. One of the services we offer to our students is help in preparing to take the exam required to gain citizenship. The general requirements to become a citizen are;

Are at least 18 years old and a lawful permanent resident ("green card" holder);
Have resided continuously in the United States, having been lawfully admitted for permanent residence, for five years immediately preceding the date you filed your application for naturalization, or
Have, after having been removed from conditional permanent resident status, based upon your marriage to a U.S. citizen, having resided in the United States for one year after the date the condition was removed;
Have resided continuously in the United States at all times after your application to the time and date of your admission for citizenship;
Have, during all periods of time referred to above, been and still are a person of good moral character;
Have no outstanding deportation or removal order and no pending deportation or removal proceeding;
Have the ability to read, write, speak, and understand simple words and phrases in English;
Have knowledge and understanding of the fundamentals of U.S. history and government;
Are attached to, and can support, the principles of the U.S. Constitution and can swear allegiance to the United States

It is the final three bullets that we work with students to master. During the course of the citizenship exam students must be able to pass an oral interview with the examiner. The examiner then asks them to write three sentences in English that must be intelligible. A students ability to speak and understand English is ascertained through the oral interview. Finally the examiner asks the applicant 10 questions about American civics or history. There are 100 possible questions that each applicant must prepare for. If the applicant answers 7 out of 10 correct they have passed that portion of the exam.

Completing these steps the examiner recommends the applicant for citizenship. The paperwork then receives a final approval and a letter is sent to the applicant stating if they have passed and if so, when their oath ceremony will take place. US Citizenship is not given until the oath ceremony.

At Literacy Volunteers - Chippewa Valley our tutors and staff work with Citizenship applicants to learn and understand the questions that will be asked of them. They also work on basic literacy; speaking, reading and listening skills to be prepared for the oral part of the exam. For many students this work begins long before they decide to file for citizenship. Each year we take time out to celebrate student success in achieving their citizenship!

Congratulations on your US citizenship!

July is Citizenship Month!

2011-07-14T10:22:00.000-07:00

There is one month of the year that is synonymous with citizenship and it's July. We kick off the month celebrating our independence and this year we're hoping the spirit of citizenship extends through the entire month. Many of our students have either worked toward and achieved or are in the process of studying for their citizenship exam. We work with students to gain basic English fluency and understand the questions that are asked on the civics portion of this exam.

Watch all this month for more information relating to citizenship!

School’s Out!

2011-06-13T10:52:00.001-07:00

Moms and dads around the area are embarking on a new season, summer is here. Our adult learners are able to get assistance year-round – we don’t take a summer break. A few weeks ago we were contacted by the Fall Creek Public Library Children’s Librarian to give us some good news. The children of the summer reading program voted to donate their prize money to LVCV instead of getting gifts for reading during the summer! How awesome is that? Way to go Fall Creek kids – read read read!!!

Summer is a great time to get involved with LVCV. We will be having tutor training again this fall. Give us a call today if you are interested in becoming a tutor or volunteering in another capacity. Here’s a glimpse into what we did last year;

2011 Highlights of What We Do

If you are a community organization that would like to help out LVCV as the Fall Creek Library has done – contact us today!

Celebration of the Stars 2011

2011-06-07T12:36:00.000-07:00

On May 17^th, over 100 students and tutors gathered together at the LVCV Family Literacy Center to celebrate the successes of the past year. After eating a chicken dinner, staff were honored to present tutors with recognition awards for their years of service. We know that our tutors give their time selflessly but still believe it is important to recognize the hard work and commitment they put forward.

Tutors recognized for 5 years of service; Kelly Endres, Deanne O’Mera, Joan Pougiales, Pat Reinhardy, Dianne Robertson, Ted Simpson, Kim Sorenson, Janet Spina, Judy Valen, Joan Voigt, John Yungerberg

Tutors recognized for 10 years of service; Barb Anderson, Pam Gindt, and Ellen Loken

Our final recognition award was given to Cindy Cartman for 20 years of volunteer service. What an amazing accomplishment!

Congratulations Cindy!

Thank you to all our tutors!

We were also happy to present the Eric J Wahl award to Jeanne Sargeant an LVCV staff member. Each year we recognize a staff member, community member or tutor who has been exceptionally dedicated to our cause. This years' recipient emulates those values through her tireless commitment to our Family Literacy students.

The final portion of our event featured students reading their own writings. Each year LVCV publishes a collection of student writings based on a theme. This years' topic was "My Perfect Day."

The evening concluded with cake and refreshments as well as conversations and memories. We are looking forward to another great year and hope you will follow us as we continue our journey!

Thursday's are Hopping!!

2011-04-21T10:49:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you open up the learning lab on a Thursday morning? .....A Full House!!! After our freak spring snow storm yesterday we've had an incredibly busy morning. By 8:30 this morning students were filling up our computer lab to work on GED preparation and computer skills. Our six tutor rooms were booked all morning long with students and tutors working together as well as students working on re-testing their abilities for the end of the year. Even more students found space in our break area, in a small corner desk and even in some staff offices practicing math and working on citizenship! It certainly was a fantastic start to the day!

Thursday mornings we open up our office for students to drop in and get the help that they need right away. While the primary focus is on math and technological literacy no one is turned away if they come for help in another area. Volunteer tutors, staff the open learning time and support the student learners. The lab is open from 9am - 12pm and is a free (like all of our programs) service to our students.

Empowering Women through Savings

2011-03-08T13:24:00.000-08:00

Today is International Women's Day, in fact it's the 100th anniversary of International Women's Day. The website for this movement describes the events of 1911 as such; "Following the decision agreed at Copenhagen in 1911, International Women's Day (IWD) was honoured the first time in Austria, Denmark, Germany and Switzerland on 19 March. More than one million women and men attended IWD rallies campaigning for women's rights to work, vote, be trained, to hold public office and end discrimination. However less than a week later on 25 March, the tragic 'Triangle Fire' in New York City took the lives of more than 140 working women, most of them Italian and Jewish immigrants. This disastrous event drew significant attention to working conditions and labour legislation in the United States that became a focus of subsequent International Women's Day events."

As we fast forward to 2011 there have been many significant steps made in the rights of women, however many of the same struggles the female (primarily) immigrant communities faced 100 years ago we are currently facing today. At LVCV we work with many immigrants to the United States and are aware of the daily struggles that they go through. It is our hope that through improving their basic literacy skills, many more opportunities will become available to them. Literacy skills extend far beyond reading and writing to include health literacy, technological literacy and financial literacy. We are very proud of a group of women at our Family Literacy program who are engaged in a program entitled "Empowering Women through Savings"

This program began in January of 2010 with 25 women from Family Literacy. With the help of LVCV teachers students are exposed to the American banking system and specifically savings accounts. Students set up their own savings accounts and then deposit monthly. Up to $10 a month is matched through a local women's giving circle. The program was further expanded this year, allowing for more matching funds as well as the addition of a leadership council. The women involved in the program elect four officers to take leadership roles and participate in leadership training programs in the community. The women serve as mentors to the women who are new to the program and are planning fundraisers to continue the program for new students.

This program is successful on multiple fronts. It first and foremost shows the women involved that they can be in control of their financial future and gives them the tools to manage their finances. It also gives them the opportunity to become leaders within their community and make a difference. These skills are not a one time event, they will be carried through to other areas of life.

This program is one of several offered through Literacy Volunteers - Chippewa Valley Family Literacy. About 1/3 of the funding for the Family Literacy program is through federal grants. Under the proposed federal budget currently up for discussion, this funding would disappear. Click here to learn more about Family Literacy and what impact the loss of this funding would have on the program. If you would like to get involved please visit the Pro Literacy website to see ways you can get involved to save this vital funding!

Scrabble Bee 2011!

2011-02-21T20:43:00.000-08:00

Scrabble Bee is about having Fun For Literacy. It is about having fun with your friends and co-workers! This is Literacy Volunteer's largest fundraiser, and the money goes directly to support literacy programming in the Chippewa Valley. It's a team "competition" for groups of up to six people working with a Scrabble game board and a bag of 100 tiles.

Pizza, soda and a cash bar add to the fun!

This years' event will be held April 7, 2011 from 6-9pm. Join us at 29 Pines Eau Claire for this great event!

There are three options for those wanting to get involved.

Want to send a team?

Get together a group of friends, your office, book club or civic group and join the event!
Team registration is $350.

Prizes for;

Team with the highest dollar amount of donations raised

Individual with the highest dollar amount of donations raised
Team with the highest quanitity of donations
Individual with the highest quantity of donations
Team with most points scored in game
Team with lowest points scored in game
Team with best/funniest costume

Sign up your team today!

2011 Table Sponsors

Can't send a team? Looking for an additional way to show your support? By sponsoring a table you're name or your businesses name will be placed at one of the team tables as well as publicized in advertising leading up to the event.

Table Sponsorship: $350

2011 Scrabble Bee Event Sponsors

Consider becoming an event sponsor! Event sponsors help make our event big! This years sponsors so far include;

For more information about event sponsorship, contact Amanda Mouttaki at 715-834-2531 or E-mail Amanda

Event Sponsorship: $2,000

Basket Raffle:

LOCAL BUSINESSES - WE LOVE TO SUPPORT YOU!! DURING THIS EVENT THERE IS A RAFFLE FOR GIFT BASKETS PARTICIPANTS CAN WIN! ALL BASKETS ARE DONATED. IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO DONATE A BASKET OR AN ITEM THAT WILL GO INTO A BASKET, FILL OUT THE FORM HERE OR CONTACT AMANDA MOUTTAKI AT 715-834-2531 OR E-MAIL AMANDA.

Share with your friends! Downloadable information available here.

Making A Difference - One Person at A Time

2011-01-28T10:56:00.000-08:00

This story comes from Chalsea one of our teachers in the corrections program.

When Eugene enrolled in class on April 5, 2010, he identified himself as a high school dropout who could not read or write. In fact, when I (Chalsea) could get him to speak, he claimed to never have written a sentence in his life. He tested at a mid 1st grade reading level, and it showed as he struggled through a few simple sentences.

Eugene's inventive for enrolling was not to learn to read or write. He was a farmer and held odd jobs to provide for his family, and, as he saw it, had little need for it. He joined because his Alcohol and Other Drug Abuse (AODA) class would get him 10% off his sentence and he needed help with his homework in order to graduate. We made an agreement that we would help him complete his work if he would attempt to improve his reading and writing.

Eugene partnered up with Robin, an LVCV volunteer tutor. For the first few days it was a simple exchange - AODA help for reading work. Eugene kept quiet most of the time, speaking only when he had to.

One morning, I decided it was time to attempt a sentence. Eugene looked at me like I was crazy, but I insisted we'd be right there to help him through. We discussed the basics - capital letter in the beginning, subject and verb, period at the end. He gave it a try , sounding out the simple words he had learned the week before, and completed his very first sentence on his won. That was the exact boost of confidence he needed. he was so excited; he wrote three more sentences that day!

From that day on, Eugene opened up little by little and began to push himself each day. He was growing in confidence, engaging with his peers, and learning steadily. By mid-July, Eugene accomplished many things. He hand wrote a 1 1/2 page apology letter to his wife, mastered basic vowel sounds, and was beginning to catch on to word families, often listing as many combinations as he could think of in the middle of a lesson (-ack: back, slack, pack, lack....). Eugene also earned the admiration and respect of fellow inmates, correctional staff, LVCV staff and tutors, and, most importantly, his family.

When Eugene talks about his education, conversation always turns to his future, often talking about how this will change the way he lives. He knows that at some point he will not have to rely on his family to complete daily tasks and that improving his reading and writing skills can mean expansion of his business. He's excited about the possibilities. We are all excited and so proud of Eugene.

Literacy Outreach to Those Incarcerated

2011-01-19T10:55:00.000-08:00

Did you know that;

- 70% of prisoners scored in the two lowest literacy levels of the National Adult Literacy Survey? This means that while they have some reading and writing skills, they are not adequately equipped to perform tasks like writing a letter, explaining an error on a credit card bill, or understanding a bus schedule.

- Only 51% of prisoners have completed high school or its equivalent, as compared with 76% of the general population.

- As the education level of adults improves, so does their children's success in school? Helping low-literate adults improve their basic skills has a direct and measurable impact on both the education and quality of life of their children.

- The number of children with a mother in prison nearly doubled (up 98%) from 1991 to 1998, while the number of children with a father in prison grew by 57% during this period.

The Correctional Education Association conducted a study in the late 1990's and found that;

... re-arrest, reconviction, and re-incarceration rates were lower for the prison population who had participated in correctional education than for non-participants. The differences were significant in every category. The study found:

- the re-arrest rate of correctional education participants was 48%, compared to 57% for the non-participants;

- re-conviction rate was 27% for correctional educational participants, compared to 35% for non-participants; and
- re-incarceration rate was 21%, compared to 31% for non-participants.

Literacy Volunteers - Chippewa Valley provides literacy education to incarcerated adults in Eau Claire, Chippewa and Dunn counties. Our program is not court ordered and inmates chose to attend class and work to meet their literacy goals. Supporting these learners helps them to achieve their goals and become more productive members of society upon their release.

We are always in need of individuals to tutor and support our learners in jail programs. If you would like to learn more please contact us today!

Statistics obtained from: Literacy Information and Communication System: http://nifl.gov/facts/archive/Correctional

LVCV Tutor Training

2011-01-10T12:46:00.000-08:00

Would you like the opportunity to make a resolution this year that changes someone's life? Consider becoming a tutor with LVCV!!

The dates for the 2011 winter training have been announced. Two series of sessions, slated for January and February, will give interested individuals an opportunity to become trained tutors with LVCV. Literacy Volunteers is looking for individuals who have a passion to help others in their community with literacy needs.

Interested individuals should be willing to work with an adult for a minimum of one year. The only requirements for tutors are a willingness and desire to help others, a high school diploma and attendance at one of the two training series. Tutors work with students in a variety of areas including reading, writing, GED preparation, preparing and studying for the US Citizenship Exam or basic technology literacy.

Training sessions are as follows;

● Series 1: January 21, 25, 28 February 1, and 4 from 9am-12:15pm. This series is held at the LVCV office in Banbury Place in Eau Claire. The sessions are held in a classroom format using examples, modeling, activities, reflection, and guest speakers. The registration deadline for this series is January 13, 2011.

● Series 2: February 16 from 6-9pm and February 26 from 10am-4pm at the Menomonie Public Library. This series is more condensed and includes independent completion of six online training segments. The registration deadline for this series is February 2, 2011.

If you would like to become a tutor or have questions, please contact Cheryl at (715) 834-0429 or visit www.lvcv.org

Our very first blog post!

2011-01-05T09:52:00.000-08:00

Welcome to our first blog post! We are excited to be launching this portion of our website and hope that our supporters, readers, tutors and students will be equally excited! We will be using this blog as an extension of our website and as a way to let others know what is going on in our organization. Some of the items you'll discover here;

inspiring stories about and from our learners
news worthy articles about happenings
event updates
information and articles about different program areas
tips and hints for tutors
ways to get involved with LVCV
general information about literacy and literacy needs
and much, much more!

We also want to encourage you to engage with us in other ways. You can also connect with Literacy Volunteers on Twitter and Facebook. We will be using both of these areas actively and encourage you to join us there to learn about new opportunities, events and news from LVCV. You can see our stream on the right sidebar - click on either stream to connect. If you have suggestions we would love to hear from you!