Club President Presents Check To Literacy Council

On April 30, 2003 Club President John Dare presented a check for $1,424.99 to Paula Yount, Executive Director of the Ozarks Literacy Council to underwrite a new project between the Literacy Council and Springfield Public Schools. The project, simply titled "Pre-Literacy" targets special needs children ages 3-5 through the Springfield Public Schools Early Childhood Development/Special Needs program. Volunteer readers will go into twenty-four special needs classrooms and read a pre-selected book to the class using puppets and other visual aids to enhance the story. Each child will then be given a soft copy of the book to keep and take home. Approximately 800 children will be served through this program. The first book selected to be read is "The Kissing Hand".

Kiwanis Club of Ozark Empire is proud to underwrite the pilot program of this worthwhile project. Corporate funding is being secured to continue the program a minimum of four times during the 2003-04 school year.

The Ozarks Literacy Council is a not-for-profit, United Way participating agency which offers free tutoring for adults in Basic Literacy, English for Speakers of Other Languages, Family Literacy, and Corrections Literacy.