Dola Harris with Peggy Melton (center) and Gail Walker (left)

BY Walker Thompson
June 6, 2006

Dola Harris came into our organization in 1999. I first met her in the new tutor training class that year when we both took the training together.

Dola is the type of person that after the first meeting you feel like you have known her all your life. She was very interested in what was going on in the organization and wanted to help were ever she could.

Shortly after completing the new tutor training class she was matched with her first student. It wasn't long after Dola and her student were counting the fines that the Library collects for over due books and generously donates to our organization each February. A few months later they were helping Director Lois Martin stuff envelopes with our annual funding raising letter.

Next spring they were very active helping Lois and the Library organize and work the book and white elephant sale. In between she and her students have passed out fliers and promoted the organization with local businesses.

When ever something needed to be done you would find Dola involved helping out in any way she could. Several years ago Gail was looking for some help with thee new tutor training program and who steps up to get involved but Dola and she continues to assist in the training program today.

We are a volunteer organization and people get involved to tutor, but there are many more activities that have to be done in order for the organization to function.

Tonight we want to recognize and to thank Dola for not only being a great ESL tutor, which she is and her students here tonight will testify to, but for being one of the invaluable people that has help kept this organization running over the past six years.