Literacy Volunteers raises $2,400 in book sales

FARMINGTON – Shoppers at this weekend’s annual Literacy Volunteers Book Sale were greeted by bouncing goats, home baked goods and of course, thousands of books.

The sale took on a new face this year with the addition of Fred and Matilda’s Petting Farm, a shadow puppet theater and live music- turning the annual sale into a literary celebration.

“The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places you’ll go,” reads the banner of Literacy Volunteer’s Facebook page, quoting Dr. Seuss.

The fundraiser requires more than 300 hours of help from a team of volunteers. This year’s event sold more than 1,800 books, raising a total of $2,400 for the non-profit.

“This event is not only a fund raiser, it is a literacy event intended for book lovers of all ages. We hope to inspire people to become book lovers,” Executive Director Barbara Averill said.

Averill joined LV two years ago after being an educator for many years.

“I love what I do. I love making change on this grassroots level,” she said.

LV reaches out to residents in both Franklin and Somerset county who are struggling with reading. With the help of 72 volunteer tutors, the program aims to increase access within communities by increasing the literacy skills of the people who live in them.

“When you think about what low literacy means, how it prevents people from accessing what they want to do, or prevents them from expressing themselves- being literate is about having a voice. Suddenly, when literacy increases, the world is accessible. You can have a conversation, write in a journal. It almost immediately gets people interacting more with their communities,” she said. “When those windows start opening, it ripples outwards and the web starts to grow.”

Averill went on to talk about the many opportunities that begin to show up as people become literate. Things like applying for a driver’s license, navigating a nutrition label or simply going through a to do list at a job.

She talked about Matilda, who co-owns the petting farm that appeared at the festival.

Matilda is in her fortieth year of being a LV student, starting the program when she was 20 years old. She describes her upbringing as rough, saying she was a slow learner who struggled with dyslexia. She said the schools didn’t want to bother with her, saying she was placed in a special education class where students colored the majority of the time.

Now, Matilda is 60 years old and is working on bringing her reading skills to a fifth grade level.

“A lot of people are really proud of me for being my age and doing what I’m doing,” she said.

With the help of her tutor, Matilda flew through two grade levels just last year. Right now the duo is working on reading, understanding and copying down gluten free recipes for Matilda, who found out she has Celiac disease this past winter. This is just one example of how literacy has changed Matilda’s life in big ways.

“I was shy before. I’m not now,” she said.

Her animals are another example. Before Matilda learned how to read, she relied on other people to come over and help her decipher prescription instructions if one of her animals were sick.

“I felt embarrassed to ask for help. Now I don’t have to feel that way,” Matilda explained.

The petting farm got started five years ago when Fred and Matilda set up their goats at an antique tractor show in Skowhegan. Now they travel to events across the state four or five times a year to share their animals with the public, all for free.

In addition to practicing her reading and taking care of her animals, Matilda sits as Vice Chair on the LV board and is a liaison for other students.

“Matilda is a great example of how increased literacy immediately ripples outwards,” Averill said.

For more information on Literacy Volunteers check out their website, call 500-3131 or email literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com.