Letter: Lunch 4 Literacy thanks 2015 sponsors

To the Editor:

Each year in March a special group of generous company sponsors pool their resources and, along with individuals from our community, support the annual literacy program of the Altrusa International Club of Oak Ridge and Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club. The Lunch 4 Literacy event raises between $15,000 and $20,000 routinely, which allows our community to support exceptional projects that promote literacy and ensure attention is given to the literacy needs that, without the generosity of our sponsors and individual contributors, could go unmet.

The lack of literacy skills is a serious problem within our communities. The reality is that often simple but effective programs can have a profound impact on individuals that enable them to realize their full potential in life. Without these very effective efforts made possible by grants from Lunch 4 Literacy, people in our communities, limited by a lack of basic skills, continue to fail in areas many of us take for granted. Until you have personally encountered illiteracy and its awful adverse impact, it is hard to fully appreciate the value of simply reading and understanding what is read. Through the continuing supportive efforts of our sponsoring companies we are making a difference in our communities!

We wish to thank the following companies who supported this 23rd annual Lunch 4 Literacy effort in 2015. We also want to give a special thank you to many of these companies who have supported the program for years:

• Angel level: Information International Associates and Synergy Wealth Management
• Patron level: Altrusa International of Oak Ridge, Centrus, Consolidated Nuclear Security, NHC Healthcare, Rotary Club of Oak Ridge, Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club, Oak Ridge Pediatric Clinic, UT-Battelle, Oak Ridge Utility District, and Oak Ridge Schools
• Sponsor level: Enrichment Federal Credit Union, Materials and Chemistry Laboratory Inc., Oak Ridge Associated Universities, ORNL Federal Credit Union, Ridgeview, SunTrust Bank, TNBank, and Vacuum Technology Inc.

Through the support of our sponsors and individual contributors, over $20,000 in Lunch 4 Literacy Grants was awarded to 10 recipients from our 2014 luncheon. The Literacy Grant Award recipients were:

• ADFAC—$2,500 for their “Schools Supplies Program”
• Emory Valley Center—$2,500 for their “Let’s Begin With The Letter People Program”
• Girls Inc.—$2,500 for their “Girls International Program”
• Glenwood Elementary School—$1,996 for their “my On Program”
• Linden Elementary School—$1,500 for their “E-Reader Program”
• Midtown Elementary School Library—$1,800 for their “High Interest/Low Level Book Program”
• Norris Middle School—$1,900 for their “High Interest/Low Level Book Program”
• Roane Imagination Library—$1,200 for their “One Book A Month Program”
• TORCH—$3,000 for their “Literacy Program”
• Willow Brook Elementary School—$1,200 for their “Hooked on Books Program”

We look forward to awarding grants from our 2015 luncheon later this year. Without the strong support of our generous sponsoring companies and individual contributors, our communities would be hard pressed to meet the literacy needs of individuals and families who are suffering silently and struggling with even the simple tasks of everyday life. With the continuing help and support of our sponsoring companies and individuals who donate, we will continue to strike at the heart of the problem of illiteracy and will win the battle through simple and effective programs.

Thanks again to the leadership of these companies who understand the importance of Lunch 4 Literacy!

Linda Ducamp, Altrusa of Oak Ridge

Kelly Callison, Oak Ridge Breakfast Rotary Club