Sara Beech, program director of Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties, left, and Ken Brechner, proprietor of Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers, are two of this year’s Learning Partner Commendations recipients, collaborating to supply books to the tutoring programs. Submitted photo
FARMINGTON — Learning Partner Commendations were announced recently by Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties at its annual meeting, held Oct. 19 at the Franklin County Adult Education center and online.
“We are deeply grateful to all members of our organization and to the community for supporting our mission. We wish to recognize partners whose actions in 2022 helped us to branch out into new communities in new ways, while continuing to address barriers to learning,” said Executive Director Barbara Averill in a news release. “The strength of their contributions are rooted in their passions, came with dedication and commitment, and made impacts of measure upon our learning communities.”
Learning Partner Commendations were conferred to the following people: adult learners Anna Crocket, Carol Palmer, Catherine Judd and Wendy Riggs; tutoring program partners Greta Espeaignnette, Stephanie Chu-O’Neil, and Nancy Allen, of Franklin County Adult Education; Michelle Guillaume, Betsy Bremner, Courtney Michaud, Robyn Raymond, of Spruce Mountain Adult and Community Education; Aishah Wolfstone and Work First; Ken Brechner of Devaney Doak & Garrett Booksellers; Diane Magras, Kyle Volland, and the Maine Humanities Council; Western Maine Transportation services with support from the United Way of the Tri-Valley Area; Emily Chaney and Franklin County Children’s Task Force; Claire Levesque of Literacy Volunteers of Bangor; Karen Henderson and Community Concepts; and Sara Beech, LVFSC Tutoring Program director.
In the Community Literacy program, Dan Palmer, Mike Burd, Laine Kuehn and Amber Stone were commended.
Local financial partners were recognized as Maria and Dale Bardo, Sally Speich, Lee Kwan Ping, Emily Scribner, the Maine Humanities Council, Ken Brechner, Delinda and Peter Smith, Western Maine Financial Services and Eastern Maine United Way. All honorees received a poetry contest chapbook of winning poems, as well as a certificate of appreciation.
The 2022 LVFSC annual report referenced the work of board directors, in line with the strategic plan of 2022 and led by co-chairs Matilda Holt and Maggie Davis, to strengthen existing collaborations, form new partnerships, engage in more local events, and expand community literacy programming to serve 996 people in the educational circle of impact.
Literacy Volunteers partnered to provide transportation to adult classes, bolstered access to digital literacy, and expanded the class schedule.
“Our partnerships took root 44 years ago, and with support from new partners and old, we are growing communities that will learn through future generations. We are branching out,” said Averill.
For more information, contact Barbara Averill at 207-491-3780 or literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com.
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