Three recent grants to the Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County were a needed boost to the organization, because "a lot of people don't know we're out here," said program Director Peggy Melton.
The organization that helps people 16 and over with basic reading, writing and math skills received a $1,900 grant from the Dollar General Store in the Putnam Village Shopping Center through the Dollar General Literacy Foundation, a $2,179 grant from the West Virginia Literacy Foundation and a $250 grant from Prudential Financial.
We're a pretty active organization in the county, and we're dependent upon grants and whatever money the United Way can throw our way and from donors," said Melton, a retired elementary school principal.
The grants will be used for books and materials and to implement a new type of test that will help tutors determine the skill levels of their students and help them track their progress.
"It's a type of testing that we haven't done before," Melton said.
In addition to basic tutoring in reading, writing and math, the Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County offers tutoring in English As A Second Language for immigrant residents.
Melton said that Putnam literacy board members Nye Clinton and his daughter, Esther, wrote the grant proposals that resulted in the awards from Dollar General and from the state literacy foundation.
"Nye and Esther are a father/daughter team who are very active with literacy volunteers," she said.
As she has done for several years, Putnam literacy tutor Wilda Harmon handled the paperwork for the Prudential Financial grant. Harmon is a former employee of Prudential Financial.
"Prudential has awarded us a grant through their CARES program," Melton said.
Putnam literacy currently has about 30 volunteer tutors, but is always looking for more volunteers. Tutors must complete four two-and-a-half-hour training sessions.
"Even if you're a teacher, you need to do that."
She said the work is gratifying. "It's so worthwhile. We have 16 students in English As A Second Language and others who for whatever reason may not have gotten their GED, or they went through school and didn't learn to read well or they want to improve their math skills."
Established in 1983, the literacy program is headquartered in the Putnam County Library, but tutoring sessions don't necessarily have to be offered there. Sessions can be conducted privately in churches or schools or wherever the students feel comfortable. Tutors also use the Putnam Career and Technical Center in Eleanor.
The location for tutoring is worked out between the student and the tutor -- we make it as easy for them as possible. Confidentiality is very important," Melton said.
According to the Putnam literacy volunteers' Web site (linked through www.putnam.lib.wv.us), one out of four adults in the United States reads at or below the fifth-grade proficiency level. In Putnam County approximately 14 percent of the adult population reads at a level such that everyday tasks are extremely difficult.
For more information about Literacy Volunteers of Putnam County, call 757-1550.