This is an example of one of the newsletters I completed for Literacy Volunteers while serving as an Americorps*VISTA.

1. Volume 4, Issue 2 Literacy Volunteers’ Red Cross Change
June 2011
Drive and Americorps Week
The March 11, 2011 earthquake and Literacy Volunteers has had either an Scott, along with fellow VISTAs
tsunami in Americorps State Amanda Poggenburg (Upshur
northern Japan Volunteer or Ameri- FRN) and Sarah Wilkinson
was an immense corps*VISTA for the (Stockert Youth Center), made
tragedy, with a past seven years, and this year’s Americorps Week one
loss of life and through the com- to remember. After petitioning the
property that will bined efforts of these Upshur County Commission to
never be fully dedicated volunteers officially declare Americorps
recovered. In the in conjunction with Week for the county, the three
wake of this VISTA Jennifer Scott presenting Red Cross the hard work of the VISTAs held a tree-planting cere-
representative Robin Moore with the jar.
disaster, Literacy director and other mony at Stockert Youth Center on
Between the Lines
Volunteers decided to hold a volunteers at the center, we have been Monday, May 16th to commemo-
change drive here at the center to able to grow our literacy program to new rate the work that Upshur County
benefit the Red Cross’ relief effort and record-breaking Americorps
for Japan. Initially, we thought it heights. volunteers,
would be a simple penny drive, but both past and
our students, tutors, board mem- Americorps Week, a present, have
bers and volunteers came through week set aside to honor put into the
big time, bringing in change, bills, those who serve as Upshur County
and even checks! We raised $241.oo Americorps volunteers community and
Literacy Volunteers of Upshur County
for the Red Cross, which we pre- and to recognize their to provide a
sented to Robin Moore at B-U High accomplishments, was lasting symbol
School on Friday, May 27, 2011. May 14th through the VISTAs Jennifer Scott, Sarah Wilkinson, and of the fine work
The Japanese relief effort will be an 21st of this year, and Amanda Poggenburg stand around their yet to be done
ongoing campaign, and Literacy the theme this year was freshly planted red dogwood tree. by future
Volunteers is proud to have been “My Americorps Story.” Americorps volunteers.
able to contribute to this cause. Literacy Volunteers’ VISTA Jennifer
Spring Book Sale Success
Literacy Volun- Literacy Volun- volunteers, it’s safe to say that this
teers is gaining a teers made a year’s was a huge success!
reputation for record-smashing
Additionally, this year we partnered
putting on quality, profit! Between a
with Brenda Richardson of Silpada
bi-annual book large number of
Jewelry. Her generous fundraiser
sales Though the high quality
provided an extra $200 for the center!
work is hard, the books given by
Silpada is now an ongoing fundraiser
rewards and visi- generous donors,
for Literacy Volunteers—if you are
bility are great, a healthy amount
looking for sterling silver jewelry as a
and this year’s of media public-
gift (or a treat) contact Literacy Vol-
spring book sale was no exception: ity, and the solid efforts of all of our
unteers for more information!
Inside this issue:
Bookworm’s May Reading List
Spotlight: Computer Classes 2
Classic: “Little Women” by Louisa May Alcott
Student Spotlight: Debra Haney 2 Contemporary: “Portnoy’s Complaint” by Philip
Board Member Spotlight: Jay Bryant 2 Roth
Popular: “Water for Elephants” by
Tutor Spotlight: Ben Crutchfield 2
Sara Gruen
EQT Grant Update 3
Easy Reading: “Living Sunlight: How
Annual Appreciation Banquet 3 Plants Bring the Earth to Life” by
Got Junk? Annual Yard Sale 3 Molly Bang and Penny Chisholm

2. Spotlight: Computer Classes
Literacy Volunteers is pleased to finally be able to members of the community who tutoring and recruit-
put the spotlight on our computer tutoring ses- may wish to learn more about com- ing community mem-
sions! After months of trying to find a suitable tutor puters. In an era defined by web bers who may have an
for the position, we went and found two! Leon connectivity, we are proud to be interest. If you know
Lucas, who also works one-on-one as a literacy able to offer these free computer anyone who may like
tutor, is in charge of the beginners computer tutor- tutoring services to those who most more information
ing course, and Bryan Stewart is the tutor in charge need it. about free computer
of our more advanced course, covering everything tutoring, contact the
Our plans for the future include
from E-Bay to Excel. Literacy Center using
shifting our present office arrange-
the information on the
We’re very pleased to be able to open these services ment to allow for a more dedicated
back of this newsletter.
up not only to interested students, but interested space for computer classes and
Student Spotlight: Debra Haney
Our student spotlight this month is on Debra since. When asked, Debra says that her fourth on the way) as well as
Haney, a two-year student of Literacy Volunteers favorite part of being a student here at the five guinea pigs and two chin-
with a baby boy on the way in August! We sat center is the learning, but she also really chillas! She says she likes to
down to learn a little bit more about Debra, or enjoys being with the people here, and take her kids to the park
Debbie as she is also called, and how she came to going on the EQT student outings! (although her 14 year-old son
be at Literacy Volunteers. is always trying to get her to
Debra is originally from Baltimore, Mary-
play basketball with him) and
Debra says that her and her brother both joined land, but her family moved to Buckhannon
she likes to come to school to
Literacy Volunteers a few years ago, and when her when she was in the fourth grade, and she
learn with her tutor. Good
brother backed out, so did she...briefly. But she has been here ever since. She lives here with
luck with the new baby,
came back and has been with the program ever her mother, her brother, her three kids (and
Debra!
Board Member Spotlight: Jay Bryant
Jay Bryant has been a member of the and settling into his lifelong profes- students at a state and national level. When
board since 2003, and says that it was sion: teaching the automotive trade asked why he helps out so much, both at Liter-
Dr. Ramirez, our board president, who to Upshur County students. Forever acy Volunteers and 4AAA, he explained that he
eventually convinced him to get more humble, Jay was recently asked to believed them to be worthwhile causes.
involved with the center. Jay is a con- serve as a national judge for a 4AAA
When Jay isn’t volunteering, he can be seen
stant staple of our book and yard sales, student auto skills competition in
fishing, taking his granddaughter to twirling
often working the check-out table Detroit, Michigan. As the WV State
practice or parades, reading detective novels, or
from open to close on each sale day. Competition Manager, Jay has helped
collecting stamps: Jay’s stamp collection, which
many burgeoning students through
Jay was born and raised in Buckhan- was initially started by his father, a post office
the competition, which provides
non, leaving only briefly for school in veteran, stretches from 1941 to present!
$2.5million dollars in scholarships to
Danville, VA before returning home
Tutor Spotlight: Ben Crutchfield
As a former West Virginia Wesleyan College librar- it, but he says that he has stayed on all from UNC-Chapel Hill. He and his wife
ian, Ben has seen his share of books. But by volun- of these years because he truly believes decided that Queensboro was no place
teering with Literacy Volunteers, the UMC Annual Literacy Volunteers to be a worthy to raise a family, and on a whim Ben
Conference, and the Lions Club, Ben seems to see activity. He started as a board member decided to apply for a job opening at a
even more books in retirement! We caught up with and went on to become a tutor and college library in a town in West Vir-
Ben to ask him a few questions about how he came volunteer, which is what he continues ginia called Buckhannon… Ben got the
to be involved with Literacy Volunteers. to do now. job, and the rest is history.
Ben has been involved with Literacy Volunteers Ben is originally from North Carolina, When Ben’s not volunteering his time,
since its inception in 1985 as a representative from but moved to Queensboro, NY after a he likes to swim, to play chess, to travel
the Lions Club. Carolyn Stotts, our founder and three year stint in the Army and ob- the globe, and, unsurprisingly, to read.
original director, was the one who told him about taining his Masters in Library Science
Page 2 Bet ween t h e Lines

3. EQT Grant Update: What Have We Been Up To?
Our Student Community Empowerment Pro- The food was pretty tasty, and we had two amaz- dents got a lot of their questions about city gov-
gram, funded by a generous grant from the EQT ing tour guides! It was a great experience to see ernment answered!
Corporation in Pittsburgh, is in full swing, and the behind the scenes side of the hospital, espe-
The April 11 trip to Hinkle Glass was our most
we have gone so many places in just a few short cially in the lab, where the students got to look
spontaneous trip yet! After the tour of Hinkle’s
months! In the last issue, we mentioned trips to at blood through a microscope!
Glass, which was shorter than anticipated, we
a basketball game, a first aid workshop, and a
On March 17th, we took the students to a nice found ourselves with a dearth of free time be-
restaurant etiquette course. In this issue, we’d
Irish dinner at First United Methodist Church tween the end of the tour and lunch. So rather
like to talk a little more about the other trips and
and to a performance of The Glass Menagerie at than go back to the center and twiddle our
outings we’ve gone on with our EQT students!
West Virginia Wesleyan. To kill time between thumbs, we went to the Sago memorial and to
On March 7th, we took the students to Lam- the dinner and the play, our VISTA Jennifer the WV Wildlife Center before heading back to
bert’s Winery for a tour of their wine-making Scott took the students on a brief, informal tour Buckhannon for a Mexican lunch at Michoacan!
facilities—complete with a few free samples for of the Wesleyan campus, offering trivia tidbits
Finally, on April 13th, we went on a grand tour of
our students over 21! In keeping with the wine and historical facts.
Buckhannon media outlets, starting with a tour
theme, lunch followed at Gino’s, an Italian res-
Moving into April, we took our students on a by Amanda Hayes at the Record Delta, going
taurant in Weston.
fantastic tour of the Upshur County Courthouse onto the C-92 radio station at WVWC, a break
The next outing was lunch at and a tour of St. on April 5th. The tour, led by Debbie Thacker- for lunch at CJ Maggies, and finishing with a tour
Joseph’s Hospital in Buckhannon on March 14th. Wilfong, was informative and fun, and our stu- of the Channel 3 headquarters.
Annual Appreciation Banquet a Success
Though we make an effort to thank students, volun- yond (and there are many who have) we try to rec- rest of the program commenced, opening with a
teers, tutors, donors, and community partners ognize them with a lovely certificate and a free speech by Mary Kay Bond, the State Director of
throughout the work year by word, by thank you dinner. Read Aloud WV entitled “It’s Not Just the Inabil-
note, and by the occasional gift card, the truth of ity to Read”, about how literacy is the root of
This year’s banquet had a color scheme rather than
the matter is that sometimes, we just can’t say thank many of our present and most taxing social
an actual theme, with ivory parchment and corn-
you enough. And for that, we have our Annual dilemmas, and with literacy comes hope for a
flower blue being the colors of the evening. The
Appreciation Banquet. brighter future. Afterwards, the presentation of
banquet started off with an invocation by Father
awards commenced with board members, stu-
Held in May at the close of the center’s school year, Ron Nikodem and after a few opening remarks by
dents, tutors, special volunteers, and selected
the banquet is our way of recognizing the efforts Dr. Rigoberto Ramirez and Director Linda Feola, the
donors. We had many more awards to present,
and involvement of our volunteers and tutors, the guests were excused from their tables to join the
but in the interest of keeping the evening brief,
achievements of our students, and the generosity of buffet line. Dinner that evening was a tasty baked
we have opted to present those awards at a later
our donors and other community partners. As a non rigatoni with house salad and delicious homemade
date. Dr. Ramirez issued the closing remarks and
-profit, we do not always have the means to send a rolls, and dessert was an exciting medley of tutor,
the banquet was adjourned.
thank you gift to someone who has done something student, and volunteer contributed potluck desserts.
wonderful for us, but we always send a thank you This year’s banquet was a lovely success! See you
Once everyone was properly fed and watered, the
note. But for those that have gone above and be- next May, Literacy supporters!
Got Junk? Literacy Volunteers’ Annual Yard Sale
Literacy Volunteers partnered up with West Virginia kindly passed on their leftover stock from their This year’s sale featured an unprecedented
Wesleyan College’s Center for Community Engage- basement sale, and our al- amount of clothing, with
ment and Office of Residence Life for this year’s ready large stock from the relatively little in the
“Got Junk?” drive at the college. As students move Got Junk drive, our dedi- larger furniture or house-
out of the dorms, many of them realize that they no cated volunteers, mostly wares department. Even
longer need that rug, or that mini-fridge, and maybe students, tackled the daunt- so, our successful adver-
all of those clothes won’t fit in their car for the ride ing task of opening and tising and prime location
home. The junk drive invited students to donate sorting every bag of donated at the Episcopal Church of
their unwanted (but gently used) items to Literacy goods with grace and good the Transfiguration al-
Volunteers as they packed up and moved out of the humor. And of course, we’d lowed for loads of foot
dorms. As three truckloads of clothes, furniture, and be dead in the water if it traffic, and we made a tidy
knickknacks would suggest, the drive was a great weren’t for the efforts and profit to keep our center
success! manpower of the Opportu- running for another day!
nity House, whose volunteers again proved their
As for the reason for our drive, our annual yard sale, We’d like to say a special thanks to the Clothes
mettle once again by helping to load and unload the
it also went well! Between receiving a sizeable dona- Closet, who gracefully received the items leftover
massive amounts of donated goods.
tion from First United Methodist Church, who from our sale. Keep up the fantastic work!
V olume 4, Issue 2 Page 3

4. Visit us on the web! Want to help Literacy Volunteers, but don’t have the time? Here are some
easy things you can do to help keep our center running strong!
http://lvaupco.webs.com
-Do you work in an office, or just have a few empty ink cartridges lying
around? Literacy Volunteers is always collecting ink cartridges for the Staples
New on the Website: Rewards program to exchange for office supplies, so bring yours in today!
-Back issues of “Between the Lines” are
-Have extra books lying around? We accept donations for our bi-annual book
currently being archived on the website in
sales year round. Call for pick up, or just drop them by when you’re around!
the “Newsletters” section in .PDF form!
-Our “Links” section is currently experienc- -Do you shop at Kroger’s? Chances are you could make us some fundraising
ing an overhaul. Do you have any helpful money! Don’t forget to use your Kroger’s Organization card every time you
links to suggest? Contact Literacy Volun- shop to raise money for Literacy Volunteers at no cost to you! If you don’t
teers and suggest your favorite Literacy have a card, but would like one, come by the center and we’ll get you one!
links!
-We can always use office supplies and paper products (paper towels, toilet
-Unsure of when a meeting date or time is?
paper, trash bags, etc.). If you have extras, or are thinking about doing a drive
Check the Calendar of Events!
at your church or civic group, keep us in mind!
Literacy Volunteers of Upshur County
34 Franklin Street -Want to buy a gift for a special lady in your life (or get something nice for
yourself?). Brenda Richardson of Silpada jewelry has partnered with us to give
Buckhannon, WV 26201
Literacy 25% of any order placed on Literacy’s behalf. Check the center for
304-472-2343
more information and a catalog!
lvaupco@wirefire.net
The Mission of Literacy Volunteers of Upshur County is to foster and promote
literacy and life skills among adults in Upshur County, WV who have low level
reading and math skills.
Literacy Volunteers of Upshur County
34 Franklin Street
Buckhannon, WV 26201