Literacy Highland Lakes holding volunteer orientations Aug. 9, 16
DANIEL CLIFTON • PICAYUNE EDITOR
BURNET — By reading these words, you’re already qualified to enrich the lives of many Highland Lakes residents who struggle to comprehend this same sentence.
Literacy Highland Lakes depends on a cadre of volunteers to provide free tutoring for adults who need assistance with reading skills, GED preparation, English as Second Language classes and citizenship test preparation.
“We’ll give (the volunteers) training,” said Martha Kardon, Literacy Highland Lakes volunteer coordinator. “All we ask is they want to help people learn to read and just improve their lives.”
The organization is holding two orientations for people interested in volunteering. The first meeting is 9:30 a.m.-noon Aug. 9 at the Herman Brown Free Library, 100 E. Washington in Burnet. The second meeting is 9:30 a.m.-noon Aug. 16 at the Marble Falls Public Library, 101 Main St. in Marble Falls.
“Literacy Highland Lakes’ programs are basically to raise the level of literacy and to reach people who have deficiencies in reading,” Kardon said. “Even in today’s world, we still have a lot of people who need help with their reading skills. The ability to read just opens up so many opportunities to people.”
The program also offers ESL classes. Kardon said people interested in helping with ESL don’t need to know Spanish. In fact, she said, not knowing Spanish or another foreign language can actually be an asset in teaching ESL classes because the students often bring different languages to the program other than Spanish.
Other important tutoring opportunities include General Educational Development test preparation and citizenship classes.
“There’s no experience necessary for helping in those either,” Kardon said.
For people who want to help but are unsure about tutoring, Kardon said there are several other opportunities to volunteer. Literacy Highland Lakes needs help with publicity, social media, public speaking and special projects promoting the organization and its roles.
Contact Kardon at (512) 756-7939 or mmkardon@netscape.com for more information.
daniel@thepicayune.com