Literacy group wants to get more on board

COLUMBUS -- To raise literacy awareness and encourage reading in the community the Platte Valley Literacy Association (PVLA) is inviting people to attend “All Aboard for Literacy.”

The event will be at 4 p.m. Sunday at the New World Inn and is a free program open to the public to raise awareness about local history and citizenship, which are this year’s topics.

Kathy Cowan, of Stromsburg, will discuss how the immigration process has changed from the early 1900s to present and Jim Hanna will talk about local train history and how the railroad has impacted Columbus and the surrounding area.

Bill Elton, coordinator of the event, said he wanted to select topics people may find intriguing and would prompt them to learn more through books or at the local library.

“We want to spark an interest and also spark an interest in people reading,” Elton said.

In addition to the literacy program, other organizations, including Connect Columbus, Platte Valley Humane Society and Friends of the Columbus Public Library, will have booths available.

PVLA also will be holding its annual volunteer banquet at 5:45 p.m., following the presentations.

PVLA began in the early 1980s as a volunteer tutor group to assist area residents study to obtain their GEDs, focusing primarily on the reading aspects, according to Jolene Hake, director of PVLA.

In 1985 English as a Second Language was incorporated into the services offered. Five years later PVLA became a non-profit organization and expanded its services from helping people learn to read to all subjects covered in the GED.

In 1992, PVLA was one of the first organizations in Nebraska to obtain a grant for the Family Literacy program.

Hake said PVLA’s mission is to identify and teach individuals who need basic literacy skills. PVLA’s services are offered free of charge and much of the work is conducted by a number of volunteers.

Hake said the adult education is a cooperative partnership with Central Community College-Columbus which also helped create the curriculum for the citizenship class, which is offered at Cargill Meat Solutions, Carneco Foods and the Columbus library at no cost to the participant.

United Way is the primary monetary supporter of PVLA and the literacy organization also receives funding through state and federal grants and private donations.

Theresa Wachal, Family Literacy director, said the program is an effort to help parents and children advance their reading skills and to promote parents to read with their children.

“Both parent and child can come to the library to learn. The parents are shown how important it is to read with the child,” Wachal said. The parents “often come from homes where they did not receive the support or have a role model with how to help their child (with reading). They are doing the best they can,” but they may not have the tools to provide their child with the best opportunities for success.

The program is available for children as young as 4 years old and those who have advanced through the fifth grade.

Hake said PVLA helps to fill learning gaps within the seven-county area it serves.

Last year, PVLA helped 51 people in the Columbus and Schuyler communities earn their GEDs and 12 people at the Platte County Correctional Facility get their GEDs. In total, PVLA provided services for 630 people through its programs.

“We have a really nice network of services, and we can respond to community needs,” she said.

For more information about Sunday’s events or to learn more about programs offered by PVLA, contact PVLA at 564-5196 or via e-mail at literacy@megavision.com.