Blog post by: Kalan Gott

I have previously written about what the name of this organization means to me, but recently I have realized a new meaning. ‘A’ and ‘Z’ mark the beginning and end of the alphabet, but it takes all of the letters together to make the alphabet. When those letters join up they make words, which make sentences that turn into paragraphs and books. The A to Z Movement works the same way. It takes each and every volunteer pulling together to make the movement move! As volunteers come together, united under a common cause, creativity reins. From fundraisers and book sorting to lesson plans and professional development, each volunteer fuels the movement and helps A to Z reach more people from the U.S to Zambia.

Special thanks to Pat Kelly for writing this post for A to Z.

Sorting- it’s a never ending job what with the books that come in to A to Z regularly. Our volunteers have taken the many donations and sorted them according to suitability for Zambian children, first and foremost. Next, reading level is considered and books are boxed in several categories- picture books, chapter books, etcetera.
There are always unexpected surprises when we sort. Sometimes we find a bookmark or a sales receipt left in a book. We have turned up a 1945 Dick and Jane primer and many precious favorites from our childhoods or those of our children. Sorters typically run into the familiar classics- Dr. Seuss, Winnie the Pooh, Goodnight Moon, assuring us that another generation has had the opportunity to bond with them. One box is filled with books for our local outreach missions; these are the books which aren’t appropriate for children in Zambia.
When we look through personal collections of donors, we feel personal connections to donors. Thank you for sharing with us!

One of my favorite things about Shine Reading Academy is the plentiful garden. It’s filled with tomatoes, cabbage, onions, and greens. To me, the garden symbolizes new growth and new life.

Along with the garden, grow the students of Shine Reading Academy. The school is producing readers and writers – students motivated to learn and extend their thinking. Students who are carefully tended to by thoughtful and caring teachers. The children are encouraged to go beyond the poverty surrounding them, to see the brighter possibilities of reaching up and out like the plants in the garden moving toward the sun.

Reading is power. The power to escape a horrible situation through the inspirational journey of a hero or heroine. The power to travel to new worlds, learn new languages, and engage in new adventures. It is the power to fall in love with people you have never met. It is the power to agree and disagree with friends, family, and perfect strangers. The power to create new avenues of the thinking and journey down them. The power to spread knowledge. When we teach others to read we give them the power to become innovators, imagineers, and critical thinkers. When we teach people to read we can them the power to rise above the their means. Reading is power. Share it!

Last Saturday, you came out to celebrate our mission. You brought your friends and neighbors. You had fun bidding on auction items and tasting wine. Because of you, we successfully raised over $9,000 last Saturday at our big event. Thank you!

One of the things that has been so inspiring about my work and connection with A to Z Literacy, is realizing the power we have to make a difference. Sharing my photos, stories, and the book I wrote with the students at Shine Zambia, with the friends in the book club I belong to here in Crystal Lake, motivated all of us in the club to help pay for a teacher at Shine for one year. My friends in book club and my sorority sisters have been so generous and supportive. I know if other book clubs wanted to do something directly related to the reason we all get together…to share literacy and our love of reading…then donating to A to Z Literacy is a perfect way to support literacy in Africa and also here in McHenry County. We can all make a difference!

Mark your calendars for Saturday, February 4, 2012 at 7:00 pm.

Invite a few friends to join in the fun.

Get ready to celebrate another season of A to Z.

Head to the website for more details.

http://www.atozliteracy.org/