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Shine the Light of Literacy |
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It seems like only yesterday when the magic moment occurred. I was about to attend my first day at school at Weiner Elementary School. My first grade teacher, Myrth Hibbard was a veteran of many 1st grade classes and she was ready for us, but were we ready for school. I was in a unique position as my mother was the school's 4th grade teacher and my father was a high school teacher in the building across the parking lot. I already had a sister who would be starting the 6th grade so I was programmed for a life of formal education beginning my sixth year.
I remember walking into the classroom which was of course not air-conditioned, and seeing the alphabet on the wall and book shelves lining the walls. I had a head start as you can imagine, because my mother had worked with me previously and I could read and write somewhat. My skills were quickly sharpened as the peer pressure of working in a class setting and the expectations of our teacher combined with those dreaded report cards. This process continued for me for the next 16 years through my university years. But throughout my school years we would have new students move into town, and some of them were very much behind their age group due to various circumstances. Seeing them struggle to catch up made me thankful for the help and opportunities I had received.
Rotary International has always had as one of their banner goals the benefits of literacy and the month of March is Literacy month. Literally millions of people have learned to read and write because of help received from Rotary and the volunteerism of Rotarians. Our district is no exception. Each year we have worked with school systems helping students of all ages to get a grasp of the power of literacy. From Dolly Parton's Imagination Library to the Black Stallion Project to the Dictionary projects and on and on we have focused on helping people of all ages.
Last year I had a man named Robert in his fifties hold up his hand in a class I was teaching. He asked to speak to me in private and then proceeded to tell me he couldn't fill out the paperwork because he couldn't read or write. He was married and had raised a daughter who was a college graduate but he himself couldn't read. He was a truck driver who had delivered goods for his company for over 20 years and they didn't know he couldn't read. He would leave the office with a loaded truck and stop to ask for verbal directions the entire day. He was a proud man but believed that he would never learn to read. I directed him to an adult literacy class in his local area and at last report he was making progress in making a dream he had given up on come true.
Today when you think of the time and money it sometimes takes to be a Rotarian, think of people like Robert and imagine the thrill of being able to fill out a questionnaire in a class or read a street sign. Rotary makes dreams come true for people of all ages. Each club has a literacy committee and chair and our district has several capable people on our district committee. Take some time to help these people and experience the thrill of putting light in others lives. The battle to achieve literacy isn't fought just overseas; it's also in our neighborhood.
Ray Keller, District Governor 2008-09
Rotary International District 6150
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