Reading Between The Wines
The Adult Literacy League will host the event on Oct. 26
Updated: 10:14 AM EDT Oct 23, 2023
AND FOR ADULTS IN CENTRAL FLORIDA READS AT OR BELOW A FIFTH GRADE LEVEL AND THAT CAN CREATE CHALLENGES FOR THEM ON A DAILY BASIS. BUT THE ADULT LITERACY LEAGUE IS WORKING TO HELP THESE ADULT LEARNERS. I’VE PROUDLY SERVED ON THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS FOR THE LEAGUE FOR ALMOST TWO AND A HALF YEARS NOW, AND I’M JOINED BY ONE OF MY FELLOW BOARD MEMBERS, KELSEY BURGESS, TO TALK ABOUT OUR ANNUAL READING BETWEEN THE LINES EVENT. KELSEY, SO GLAD TO HAVE YOU IN THE STUDIO THIS MORNING. THANKS FOR BEING WITH US. OF COURSE. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME. OF COURSE. OKAY. BEFORE WE TALK ABOUT READING BETWEEN THE WINES, YOU KNOW, THESE NUMBERS ARE STAGGERING ABOUT ADULT LEARNERS IN OUR COMMUNITY AND THE NEED FOR AN EVENT LIKE READING BETWEEN THE WINES. WHAT’S THE LEAGUE WORKING WITH RIGHT NOW? SO RIGHT NOW THE LEAGUE AS YOU SAID, THERE’S ABOUT 1 IN 4 CENTRAL FLORIDIANS READS BELOW A FIFTH GRADE LEVEL IN OSCEOLA COUNTY THAT’S ACTUALLY EVEN HIGHER. 1 IN 3 ADULTS. SO RIGHT NOW WE HAVE ABOUT 70 OR 80 STUDENTS ON OUR WAIT LIST. AND WE OFFER OUR IN-PERSON CLASSES AND ONE ON ONE TUTORING TO HELP THESE INDIVIDUALS DEVELOP THEIR LITERACY SKILLS. AND WHAT’S GREAT ABOUT THOSE OFFERS AND THOSE RESOURCES IS THAT THEY ARE FREE. THERE’S STUDENTS DON’T HAVE TO PAY ANYTHING FOR IT, WHICH IS INCREDIBLE. AND THEN, YOU KNOW, WE TAKE FOR GRANTED THE ABILITY TO READ. BUT IF SOMEONE IS NOT READING AT THEIR AGE LEVEL OR A HIGH SCHOOL LEVEL, I MEAN, IT’S CHALLENGING, YOU KNOW, DEALING WITH THE DOCTOR, DEALING WITH YOUR KIDS SCHOOLS. THERE ARE SO MANY DIFFERENT CHALLENGES. YEAH, YOU CAN EVEN NAVIGATE A MAP OR READ A PRESCRIPTION BOTTLE. YOU CAN’T HELP YOUR KIDS WITH THEIR HOMEWORK. IT’S THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT YOU DON’T THINK ABOUT ON A DAY TO DAY BASIS THAT THE ABILITY TO READ IS SO IMPORTANT FOR YOUR DAILY LIFE. AND SO WE WANT TO HELP THOSE INDIVIDUALS GET THOSE SKILLS AND OUR LOVE OF BOOKS AND OUR DESIRE TO HELP PEOPLE IN OUR COMMUNITY IS WHAT LED US TO BE ON THE BOARD FOR THE ADULT LITERACY LEAGUE. AND WE’VE GOT OUR BIG ANNUAL EVENT TO BENEFIT THE LEAGUE. READING BETWEEN THE WINES. IT’S HAPPENING ON THURSDAY. YES, WE’VE GOT SOME GREAT AUTHORS THAT ARE GOING TO BE THERE. I WAS GOING TO SAY, CELEBRITIES, BUT THEY ARE CELEBRITIES. THEY’RE CELEBRITIES. YEAH. SO TELL US ABOUT WHO WE’VE GOT FOR THIS YEAR’S EVENT. SO USUALLY WE HAVE ONE NEW YORK TIMES BEST SELLING AUTHOR. THIS YEAR, WE WERE LUCKY ENOUGH TO HAVE FOUR WHO WANTED TO COME AND JOIN US FOR THIS EVENT. WE HAVE SARAH PENNER, COLLEEN OAKLEY, GINNY ROSE AND I’M BLANKING ON CHRIS ARNETT. KRISTEN ARNETT, THANK YOU. SO MANY NAMES TO REMEMBER. SO WE HAVE ALL FOUR OF THEM COMING TO SPEAK AND JOIN US, WHICH WILL BE REALLY EXCITING. AND WHAT’S EXCITING ALSO ABOUT THIS EVENT, IN THE PAST, WE’VE HAD IT AT FULL SAIL UNIVERSITY, BUT THIS YEAR WE’RE GOING TO BE IN WINTER PARK. YEAH, SO IT’S A BRAND NEW VENUE FOR US AT LEAST. AND SO WE’VE HAD A SCIENCE CENTER, FULL SAIL, AS YOU’VE SAID. SO WE’LL BE RIGHT AT THE WINTER PARK EVENT CENTER. WE’LL HAVE LOCAL RESTAURANTS COMING TO GIVE BITES. WE HAVE WINE, BEER, ALL KINDS OF DRINKS AND ALSO A SILENT AUCTION. SO IF ANYONE CAN’T COME TO THE EVENT, THEY ARE ALSO ABLE TO PARTICIPATE IN THE SILENT AUCTION ONLINE. OKAY. AND I HAD THE PLEASURE OF SERVING AS EMCEE FOR THE LAST TWO YEARS, BUT THIS YEAR WE’RE PASSING IT ON TO ANOTHER PERSON IN THE WEST FAMILY CHRISTINA WATKINS WILL BE THERE, SO WE’RE SUPER EXCITED THAT SHE’S GOING TO CARRY ON THE TRADITION OF WESH BEING PART OF THIS EVENT. WE LOOK SO FORWARD TO THIS EVERY YEAR. ALL RIGHT, SO THE EVENT IS SOLD OUT, BUT THERE ARE STILL OPPORTUNITIES FOR PEOPLE TO GET INVOLVED. YES, ABSOLUTELY. THE LEE COULD ALWAYS USE MORE SUPPORTERS. ONE WAY TO GET INVOLVED IS TO VISIT THE LEAGUE’S WEBSITE AND YOU CAN BECOME A MEMBER OF THE LEAGUE, AS WE CALL IT, AND BECOME A MONTHLY DONOR. ALSO, WE’RE ALWAYS LOOKING FOR DIFFERENT VOLUNTEERS, WHETHER THAT’S TO TEACH A CLASS AT ONE OF THE LIBRARIES THAT WE OFFER OR ONE ON ONE TUTORING. WE HAVE, AS I SAID, 70 TO 80 STUDENTS ON A WAIT LIST FOR TUTORS. SO IF YOU HAVE AN HOUR A WEEK TO DONATE YOUR TIME AND WE OFFER TUTOR TRAINING. SO IT’S NOT LIKE ANYONE NEEDS ANY TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT ALL AND WE OFFER TUTOR TRAINING EVERY MONTH. SEVERAL TIMES A MONTH VIRTUALLY. AND YOU’VE SERVED AS A TUTOR? I’VE SERVED AS A TUTOR. IT’S VERY REWARDING. YEAH. YOU DEVELOP A RELATIONSHIP WITH THESE PEOPLE AND IT’S REALLY REWARDING TO SEE HOW YOUR HELP CAN DIRECTLY CHANGE THEIR LIFE. OH, YEAH, NO, IT’S VERY SATISFYING ACROSS, ACROSS THE BOARD. ALL RIGHT. SO PEOPLE CAN BECOME TUTORS, THEY CAN DONATE. AND I’VE GOT TO SAY, DONATING IS VERY EASY. I JUST DO A DIRECT WITHDRAWAL FROM MY ACCOUNT AND IT GOES RIGHT TO THE LEAGUE AND THEN YOU CAN WRITE IT OFF AT THE END OF THE YEAR IN YOUR TAXES. SO THAT’S WHAT I DO AS WELL EVERY MONTH. IT JUST GOES AWESOME. KELSEY, THANK YOU SO MUCH. AND I’VE GOT TO SAY, KELSEY, AS AN ATTORNEY IN TOWN, SHE’S ALSO BEEN WORKING TIRELESSLY LATELY ON PLANNING, READING BETWEEN THE LINES. THANK YOU FOR ALL OF YOUR EFFORTS. WE APPRECIATE IT. AND THANK YOU FOR COMING IN THIS MORNING. YOU SEE CHRISTINA. THERE SHE IS READY TO HOST THIS EVENT ON THURSDAY. IT IS FROM 6 TO 9 AT
Reading Between The Wines
The Adult Literacy League will host the event on Oct. 26
Updated: 10:14 AM EDT Oct 23, 2023
