Weekly Meeting News - 25 February 2013

Guests at this meeting included Joseph Shea, Past President of the Rotary Club of Essex and Ed Russell.  They were guests of Doug Rayner.   Ruth Tureckova, Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Washington County, joined us for dinner as well as to be our evening's program.

Members in attendance  =  8

Happy Anniversary Blessings to Valerie and Clark Rumfelt (21 February) and Evelyn and Steve Cofone (23 February)

Story Section on website includes a "hot off the press" article about Past President Dan Alvino being honored for his work and our club's support to projects in La Penita, Mexico.  Dan will be making a presentation to the Club upon his return.

We ask that everyone keep Steve Salerno and his family in your prayers.  Steve has not only been working very hard to help his brother the past few weeks but has also been dealing with health issues.

Guest Speaker  -  Ruth Tureckova, Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers of Washington County

It was a pleasure to meet Ruth, who has been in her position for about eight months.  Her enthusiasm and excitement  about the mission of Literacy Volunteers and the people it serves was very apparent.   Ruth explained that their programs assist adults who are "interested in improving their literacy skills".  There are various reasons, she explained, that find adults with little or no reading and writing skills - from being in a farming family that requires them to be working in the fields as young children instead of going to school to being a new immigrant to the United States.  LV services include basic reading, math and writing literacy, English as a second language, citizenship preparation, financial literacy, workforce literacy and even GED preparation.  Trained volunteers work individually with participants for typically two hours per week.  LV also has a ten-computer lab available for additional individual study use.

Literacy Volunteers' office is located at the Tower Street School, units 25 and 26,  here in Westerly and their service area includes all of Washington County and the Pawcatuck/Stonington communities.  For more information, go to www.literacywashingtoncounty.org, call 401.596.9411, or email exedir@literacywashingtoncounty.org.

NEXT WEEK  -  Board meeting at 4:00 pm, followed by general meeting at 5:30.

President Cal's "thought for the day"  -  The best antidote I know for worry is work.  The best cure for weariness is the challenge of helping someone who is even more tired.  One of the great ironies of life is this; he or she who serves almost benefits more than he or she who is served  -  by Gordon B. Hinckley