Media
Photo provided by Carrie Cate-Clements,
Northwest Indiana Education Service Center
For immediate release
Centier Bank Donates Funds for Time Out for Reading
Dian Reyome, Centier Bank Financial Literacy Coordinator, presents a $2,000 check to the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition Board of Directors to help underwrite the increased Time Out for Reading efforts this year. Shown bagging red noses (in the photograph on the right) are from left to right: Dian Reyome, Carol Moore, Linda Friedrich, Dennis Gray, and Katheryne Pavey. All are volunteers on the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition Board of Directors.
April 21, 2008
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
An estimated 190,000 youth and adults across Northwest Indiana are expected to participate in
this year's "Time Out for Reading". At 10:00 a.m. on October 3 the Northwest Indiana Literacy
Coalition and its partner organizations will be inviting everyone to, "stop what they are doing,
put their nose in a book, and read!".
Centier Bank is the first financial sponsor of this year's Time Out for Reading. "Centier is
pleased to help the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition raise awareness of the importance of
reading and literacy," noted Dian Reyome, Centier Bank Financial Literacy Coordinator. "Time Out
for Reading is a fun way promote literacy. Thousands of children will wear red noses on
October 3."
Late this summer 60,000 plastic red noses and 190,000 Time Out for Reading bookmarks will be
distributed to school children and organization leaders across NWI. The Northwest Indiana
Literacy Coalition is seeking funds for red noses, bookmarks and publicity.
Time Out for Reading began in 2003 with participation by a few thousand school children. Since
then the program has expanded to include special activities such as the reading of the Preamble
to the U.S. Constitution in the U.S. Federal Courthouse in Hammond, an event co-sponsored by
Hammond Reads. This year's Time Out for Reading will expand to involve 190,000 participants in
seven Northwest Indiana counties.
"Plans this year include a new partnership with Books to Bridge the Region, a program in which
Northwest Indiana is brought together through a focus on specific books", commented Dennis Gray,
Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition Board volunteer and coordinator of Time Out for Reading.
"This partnership is expected to heighten public awareness of both the Books to Bridge the
Region program and Time Out for Reading."
For more information about Time Out for Reading or to make a contribution to this year's event,
contact Dennis Gray, by email at timeout4reading@cs.com or telephone at 219-933-2419 ext. 1966.
Visit www.nwiliteracy.org for more information about the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition.
IN MEMORIUM
Sharon Ball, one of our devoted members, recently passed away. Please visit the Sharon Ball page to read about Sharon and her accomplishments.
9/20/06 - For immediate release
19th Annual Executive Spelling Bee Won By Portage Adult Basic Education
Photo provided by Dennis Gray
Carol Moore, Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition Board Member and Chair of the Coalition’s 19th Annual Executive Spelling Bee, presents the winning team with their award. Receiving the "2006 Champions" award are (left to right) Susan Christian, David Shepherd, Ethel Guernsey, and Paula Siminski who are all members of the Portage Adult Basic Education Spelling Bee Team. This is the third year that a team from Portage Adult Basic Education won. The event was held at Resorts East Chicago on September 19.
The Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition is a not-for-profit volunteer organization that promotes the exchange of literacy services and information. The organization conducts annual literacy awareness events in seven counties across Northwest Indiana.
In the Executive Spelling Bee teams from companies and not-for-profit organizations compete for top spelling honors, thus promoting literacy in their groups and Northwest Indiana. Event co-sponsors this year were the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition, R esorts East Chicago, and the Post-Tribune.
Gift of literacy brings its own rewards
On Sept. 8 all across Northwest Indiana, people will be reading aloud. It is on that date
that Time out for Reading comes to communities in Lake, Porter and LaPorte
counties. Over the last number of years, much has been said of the link between literacy
and quality of life in Northwest Indiana.
Without the ability to comprehend those mysterious strings of words and symbols, this can be a very frightening world indeed. For those of us who come from recent immigrant stock, the mind can certainly grasp the enormity of the assimilation process. I shudder to think of what it was like to have to go through that without the proper tools to succeed.
Similarly, children discover when they learn how to read that the world is their oyster. It is with that skill they can pore over the almost endless tales dating from the earliest fables to more recent adventures of Harry Potter. The greatest gift we can give our children is the gift of literacy and the chance to expand their worlds in unimaginable ways.
Whenever reading comes up, I like to convey the story of my one experience with a "reading" class in high school. This class was literally devoted to independent reading and was open as an elective to anyone who chose to take it. There was the caveat that Mr. Harkin must first approve selections. Mr. Harkin, rest his soul, was a great molder of readers. He always seemed to have a way of pushing you to a more challenging piece.
To this day, I can rattle off the books I read in that classroom — classics like "Grapes of Wrath," "Of Mice and Men," "A Raisin in the Sun" and all the Louis L'Amour books I could get my hands on. I was hooked, and so were the others. Sure, we had to write a short report for our grade but that was not a problem. Our worlds had been expanded and we were lost for an hour in our parallel universes.
One may be lost in space. Another on the wild frontier. Still another might be traveling through the Great Plains during the Great Depression. It was through that experience I learned that books didn't reside with only the college-track students. It was a revelation to a young impressionable student but a lifelong lesson.
Such is the lesson we need to learn on a greater level. Students who were passed through the system without the skills to function in a high-tech economy will need remediation to assimilate, as did those immigrants did 100 years ago. There are still more people of varying ages and backgrounds who never finished school. They, too, will require remediation.
This is where wonderful organizations like Parents as Teachers, Hammond Reads and Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition step in every day. These countless tutors work in classrooms, libraries and homes across the region to give this gift to children and adults.
The kickoff event for Time out for Reading this year is 7:30 to 8:30 a.m. Aug. 31 at the Hammond Public Library. If you are interested in volunteering for this wonderful program, please call the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition at (219) 933-2419. I have to go now; I have a great book waiting and another adventure.
Support Literacy with Regional Federal Credit Union
Join Regional Federal Credit Union on September 17th for the Walk for Words,
a 3K/1.5 mile non-competitive walk to benefit the Northwest Indiana Literacy
Coalition.
Come enjoy the sunshine, snacks, word contest and entertainment while helping support literacy. The Bookmobile and its mascot will be handing out books and Picture Perfect Images of Portage will be giving away gift certificates for free sittings including an 8” x 10” photo to each winner of the contest. Registration begins at 9 a.m., the walk starts at 10 and the festivities conclude at 2 p.m.
Early registration fees are $20.00 per walker, $15.00 per walker over the age of 55 and free for children 12 and under. On the day of the walk the registration fee is $25.00 per walker, $20.00 per walker over 55 and free for children 12 and under. Special rates apply to fitness, walking and other corporate groups; please call Clint for details.
Registration forms may be picked up at Regional FCU at 7144 Kennedy Ave., Hammond or 389 West U.S. Hwy 6, Valparaiso, or you can register online at Regional FCU. For more information call 800-762-7419 or email cturpen@regionalfcu.org.
Want to succeed? Book on it, kids told
HAMMOND: Students reminded about importance of literacy on Time Out
for Reading Day
— Times Correspondentr
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Friday, September 9, 2005
Photo: JOHN J. WATKINS | THE TIMES
HAMMOND | A hush fell across all of Northwest Indiana at 10 a.m. Thursday as adults and
children put their noses in a book for Time Out for Reading Day.
This literacy event, started by Hammond Reads and the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition,
spread from Hammond schools and businesses to throughout the area. At the U.S. Federal
Courthouse in Hammond, a video conference was set up with the federal court in Lafayette.
Federal courts in South Bend and Fort Wayne also participated.
Read the entire "book on it" article
Area officials take time to put red noses in books
Post-Tribune correspondent - Friday, September 9, 2005
HAMMOND — When U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Merrillville, drove past Barnes & Noble
Booksellers a few days ago, he couldn’t bring himself to stop.
Having just returned from dropping his oldest son off at college, he couldn’t help but
reminisce about how the two of them would go into the store and read together, and it made
him sad. His best memories are of how he read to his sons, and that is why he was more than
happy to don a red nose from 10 to 10:15 a.m. Thursday in support of "Time Out for
Reading."
Read the entire "red noses" article
Mayor McDermott 'nose' importance of books
EDUCATION: Group kicks off Time Out for Reading on Sept. 8
— Times Correspondent
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Thursday, September 1, 2005
Photo: CHRISTOPHER SMITH | THE TIMES
U.S. Rep. Pete Visclosky, D-Ind., speaks at the Time Out For Reading kickoff breakfast on Wednesday at the Hammond Public Library.
HAMMOND | From Mayor Thomas McDermott Jr. — who reads historical novels — to
Hammond School Superintendent Walter Watkins — who plows through education legislation
— dozens were present at Wednesday's kickoff event for the third annual Time Out
for Reading Day.
During Time Out for Reading on Sept. 8, teachers, students, parents, business leaders,
government personnel and others are urged to stop whatever they are doing at 10 a.m.
and read for 15 minutes to demonstrate a commitment to literacy.
"Nothing is more essential to the success of young people than learning how to read," Watkins said. "Young people need to understand that reading is essential to whatever they choose to do in life. Parents also need to understand the role they play in encouraging their child to read."
Read the entire "importance of books" article
National Association of Insurance Women, International
Makes monetary and book donation to Northwest Indiana Literacy Coaltion
Region IV of the National Association of Insurance Women, International (NAIW) met March 17-20, 2005
at the Radisson Hotel in Merrillville for their annual Regional Conference. 216 members and/or guests were in
attendance for this event. As part of the conference, both a donation of books and a monetary donation
were made by members of Region IV of NAIW to benefit the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition (NWILC).
Pictured above (from left to right): Lori Brown, President, Insurance Women of Lake County; Sharon Ball,
Vice President, Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition; Darlene Teague, Assistant to the Regional Vice
President Margaret Wildi, Region IV NAIW; Joanne Broderick, Secretary of the Northwest Indiana Literacy
Coalition; Christy Lampa, Events Coordinator, Insurance Women of Lake County; and Sally Sunderman,
Co-Chair, Region IV Conference, NAIW. The Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition, Inc. promotes literacy in
Northwest Indiana. Their mission is to raise public awareness of literacy and to connect those in need of
literacy services with providers.
Region's crisis: 287,000 can't read anything
EDUCATION: Officials in seven-county area plan to work together to
devise improvement plan
— Times Staff Writer
This story ran on nwitimes.com on Sunday, September 12, 2004
There's a crisis in Northwest Indiana. Some adults can't read a map or complete a Social Security card application. Some parents struggle to raise a family without owning a high school diploma. Some immigrants try to survive in their communities without knowing the English language. And some children have never been read a book until they start school.
At least 287,000 people in the seven counties of the region function below basic literacy levels, according to the Literacy Needs Assessment's executive summary.
Illiteracy is major problem for many residents
The Times - Sunday, August 22, 2004
If you can read this, consider yourself fortunate. A full 44 percent of Northwest Indiana residents function at or below a fifth grade reading level.
For those who have difficulty reading, even seemingly simple tasks can seem monumental. For example, studies show that a high percentage of functionally illiterate people avoid getting health care because of the paperwork involved. Such avoidance creates a lower quality of life for them and the possibility of increased health risks for others.
Literacy is prime issue for region's health
PORTAGE: Organizations gather information to form regional literacy plan
— Times Staff Writer
PORTAGE -- If John can't read or solve basic math problems, he probably can't apply for a job or read directions on a medicine bottle to give his child the correct dose.
And, if John can't read, there's a good chance his children will have the same problem.
Literacy Key to Economic Development
I cannot do it. I cannot write another column about property taxes. I want
to, but I must control myself.
I must not discuss the gullibility, the stupidity of a public that believes politicians are doing them a favor by lowering government expenditures, or shifting funds from account to account, in order to cut property taxes.
Spellers have a mission
Executive Spelling Bee helps area literacy effort
Vindicate. Dietetics. Bunyanesque. Peristaltic.
These, among many words more complicated, were wrestled with by contestants in the Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition's 16th annual Executive Spelling Bee.
The bee, held Thursday night at East Chicago's Harrah's Casino, brought together 16 teams, representing 11 companies from across Northwest Indiana, to test their spelling ability and to promote literacy.
Foreign-born students study their way to citizenship
Merrillville - Gabriela Wesolowski gently hit the side of her head as she
attempted in halting English to pronounce the words "executive,"
"legislative" and "judicial."
She knew without hesitation the country's three branches of government but the precise pronunciation is something she said she still needs to practice.
Illiteracy
Giant steps must be taken to erase this threat to
society's progress
Ready for a come-down? Almost half — 47 percent — of America's
191 million adults can't read, write or compute well enough to adequately
perform everyday tasks or to do jobs that require the ability to decipher
complex information.
That isn't good for the people or the country. It makes it difficult for both to meet their social, political and economic goals.
Use the Contact
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PUC Health Fair
Health literacy is the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and
understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions. Adults
with low literacy levels may be unable to read and comprehend prescription directions or be unable to
understand written and oral information given by physicians, nurses, and pharmacists.
Recently Purdue University Calumet School of Nursing Baccalaureate Degree students focused on health
literacy through displays and presentations to students in the School City of Hammond Adult Education
Department.
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Northwest Indiana Literacy Coalition
P.O. Box 3386
Munster, IN 46321