2020

December 2020 Community Newsletter

Tutors Needed

If you have ever considered becoming a tutor, we strongly encourage you to contact the Literacy Council. We have recently partnered with Carroll Community College to support their GED classes and are in need of additional tutors to work with students. Our shared goal is to proactively identify and assist students who are struggling in the group classes. The Literacy Council will provide additional support and one-on-one tutoring for the GED students in Math, Social Studies, Science, and Language Arts. We are seeking tutors who would like to support this effort.

You do not need prior teaching experience! You can pick which subjects you want to tutor. Tutoring can be done virtually, so there is no concern about getting coronavirus. And we can provide needed resources. So please consider joining us as a tutor!

If you are interested, please contact Heidi White, Student/Tutor Coordinator at 410-857-0766 or lcouncilcc@gmail.com.

Thank You to our Giving Tuesday Supporters

Many thanks to the generous donors who supported the Literacy Council during our December 1, 2020 Giving Tuesday campaign! Especially during this trying time when in-person fundraising events are not possible, your generosity during this virtual event makes it possible for us to continue to support adult learners.

11th Annual Charity Golf Tournament

Successful 11th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Critical to Supporting Learning During COVID

Many thanks to our sponsors and participants for making the September 4, 2020 Charity Golf Tournament at the Quail Valley Golf Course a successful fundraising event! Since our other planned 2020 annual fundraising events were cancelled, the funds raised at the Golf Tournament will be key to helping the Literacy Council support adult learners.

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Giving Tuesday

Thank You to our Giving Tuesday Supporters

Thank you to all the supporters who helped us raise funds for the Literacy Council on Giving Tuesday. Especially during this trying time when in-person fundraising events are not possible, your generosity during this virtual event makes it possible for us to continue to support adult learners.

Welcome Anita Taylor

We are delighted to welcome Anita Taylor to the Literacy Council as our new Office Assistant. She is a former teacher and administrative assistant who has always enjoyed facilitating learning and watching students succeed. She is also a new tutor with the Literacy Council.

Anita grew up in Reisterstown, Maryland and has been a Carroll County resident since 2003. In her free time, she enjoys singing at church and in musical groups, as well as brushing up on her Spanish language skills with her tutor. Anita lives with her husband, John Erick, and has two adult children.

Anita Wilcox Retires, Continues as Tutor

After eight years supporting the Literacy Council office, Anita Wilcox has retired. We miss her calm, warm presence in the office and her webpage skills, but look forward to staying in touch as she continues as a tutor.

A few words from Anita W:

“As I retired from my career in my county’s IT department, I knew I was not ready to totally retire. A flier at the Eldersburg library about the Literacy Council caught my attention, and now eight years later I am retiring from my work in the office here. I will continue to tutor.

The office work was fun and for a good cause, but the tutoring is amazing. I have worked with three students from three continents and three very different cultures. All three have moved on to responsible jobs, and their children are doing very well to exceptional in our public schools.

Looking at our country through their eyes and seeing the promise America holds out to the world makes me very proud and humble to call this country home. I was always pleased to live here but now I am overwhelmingly PROUD AND HUMBLE. My students truly opened my eyes. Education goes both ways. Thank you, my students.”

October 2020 Newsletter

New Office Hours

Starting Monday, October 5, 2020, the Literacy Council will be changing our office hours. We will be open Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday from 9 am to 2 pm. The office will be closed on Fridays.

Implementing Virtual Learning

As with other education providers, COVID-19 has made it necessary for the Literacy Council to implement a new virtual approach to learning. We are excited to build on our initial efforts, and view this as a great opportunity to reach students who were unable to utilize our in-person tutoring. We provide Chromebooks to students and tutors who need them, help address internet access issues, provide support and training for tutors and students in using various software (such as Zoom), and are increasing our use of on-line learning programs.

Seeking New Students

The Literacy Council remains active and we are seeking new students as we implement virtual tutoring! Virtual tutoring provides an excellent learning opportunity for adults with transportation and/or other challenges that rule out in-person tutoring. Please refer interested adult learners to the Literacy Council for more information. We have several new tutors waiting to be matched with a student, so new students will be able to quickly start a program.

Successful 11th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Critical to Supporting Learning During COVID

Many thanks to our sponsors and participants for the September 4 Charity Golf Tournament at the Quail Valley Golf Course. Your support resulted in a successful fundraising event! Since our other planned 2020 annual fundraising events were cancelled, the funds raised at the Golf Tournament will be key to helping the Literacy Council support adult learners.

December 1, 2020 Virtual Fundraiser

Support the Literacy Council on Tuesday, December 1 during the Giving Tuesday fundraising event! Once a year, this annual fundraising event supports organizations around the globe. More information coming soon!

Unbelievable Idioms From Around the World

Tutor Susan Schubert recently published a fascinating children’s book showcasing idioms used in other countries. Her delightful book, I’ll Believe You When….Unbelievable Idioms from Around the World, will make you think about the challenges of understanding another language. For example, instead of saying “when pigs fly”, in the Netherlands people say “when cows dance on ice”. For more awesome idioms, you can check out a copy of Susan’s book at your library or the Literacy Council office.

My Corona Selected for Virtual Art Exhibit

Tutor Vicki Mayo’s striking pineneedle basket, My Corona, was selected for the Carroll County Arts Council’s (CCAC) virtual art exhibit and featured on the exhibit’s cover page. While the exhibit Quarantined: Creating While Stuck closed August 31, photos of My Corona and the other work can be viewed in the archived exhibits section of the CCAC website.

2019 Golf Tournament

On Friday, July 19, 2019, the Annual Golf Tournament kicked off at Quail Valley Golf Club under a threat of a HOT day, but with play beginning at 8:00 am, participants were comfortably at lunch when the heat arrived. After a morning spent on the greens, a catered lunch of hamburgers, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, and all the trimmings awaited the golfers in the picnic pavilion. This year so many prizes were donated that they filled one and a half rows of tables. After First Place was awarded to Mike Kelly’s team and Second Place to Jeremy Rodkey’s team, the various raffles and hole prizes continued until all the prizes were awarded.

First Place: Mike Kelly’s team took first place with a score of 59. Shown with Sam Greenholtz.

Second Place: Jeremy Rodkey’s team. The prizes were presented by Sam Greenholtz.

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The Literacy Council’s annual golf tournament fundraising event is only possible because of sponsorship from citizens, businesses, and foundations. Thank you for providing major event funding, sponsoring holes, and providing prizes. Your support of the Literacy Council allows us to make a positive impact on our community.

A sincere THANK YOU to our major sponsors for their generous support:

Greg Kahlert and The Kahlert Foundation

Carroll Community College

Glenn Bair and Glenn Bair Development

David Max and Max Realty

Woodhaven Building and Development

Quail Valley Golf Course

Maggie’s Restaurant

The Links at Challedon

Rafael’s Restaurant

J&G Liquors

Paradiso Restaurant

Pritts Funeral Home

Johanssons Dining House

Run Moore

O’Lordan’s Irish Pub

Great Moments

Texas Roadhouse

Flowers by Evelyn

Genova’s To Go

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Thank you for your generous support!

20th Annual Spelling Bee

Annual Spelling Bee, April 25, 2019

After five rounds of spelling, two teams were tied for first place. The tie-breaker spell-off teams were The Didactidactyls, from Carroll Community College, and We Spell McDaniel, the student team from McDaniel College. Both teams missed their first word, but The Didactidactyls scored on the second round to take the title of the Best Spellers of Carroll County. The Spine Crackers from Penguin Random House placed third.

Prior to the competition, a delicious meal was served by Kountry Kafe and Catering, followed by yummy desserts from Stone House Cakery and Cafe. Music during dinner was performed by the talented Herb Sell.

Many thanks to our community volunteers who every year make the Bee run smoothly:

Emcee: Sheriff Jim DeWees

Pronouncer: The Honorable Judge Fred Hecker

Judge: Attorney at Law Richard Titus

Time Keeper: Maddie Luchini

Word List: Lisa Picker, Librarian

A SPECIAL THANK YOU to our major sponsors for all they do and all they contribute:

Penguin Random House, Giant, Antrim, and Wegmans.

First Place Winners: The Didactidactyls

Anna Kuang, Gregory Novalis, Jessica Sichel, and Dmitri Fedoruk receive their awards from Brenda Lewis and Delegate Haven Shoemaker.

Third Place Winners: Spine Crackers

Bridgette Bowlin, Tammie Harris, and Ester-Marie Emslie

First Place Winners: The Didactidactyls

Anna Kuang, Gregory Novalis, Jessica Sichel, and Dmitri Fedoruk receive their awards from Brenda Lewis and Delegate Haven Shoemaker.

Announcements

Tutors Needed

Events

Thank You to our Giving Tuesday Supporters

Programs

Students

Volunteer

Tutor

Interested in becoming a student or getting involved?

2020

Event Recap

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Tutor

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2020

Thank You

Programs

Students

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Tutor

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2020

The Literacy Council’s New Staff Member

Programs

Students

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Tutor

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2020

We Will Miss You

Programs

Students

Volunteer

Tutor

Interested in becoming a student or getting involved?

2020

Announcements

New Office Hours

Implementing Virtual Learning

Seeking New Students

Events

Successful 11th Annual Charity Golf Tournament Critical to Supporting Learning During COVID

December 1, 2020 Virtual Fundraiser

Our Tutors

Unbelievable Idioms From Around the World

My Corona Selected for Virtual Art Exhibit

Programs

Students

Volunteer

Tutor

Interested in becoming a student or getting involved?

2020

Event Recap

Sponsors

Major Sponsors

Prize Sponsors

Hole Sponsors

Programs

Students

Volunteer

Tutor

Interested in becoming a student or getting involved?

2020

Event Recap

Annual Spelling Bee, April 25, 2019

Programs

Students

Volunteer

Tutor

Interested in becoming a student or getting involved?

Contact

Office Hours

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