Literacy Council seeking committed volunteer tutors

Increasing literacy has major societal benefits as well as helping individuals function in a complex world. Literacy directly impacts education and employment — and fewer people turning to crime and perhaps spending much of their lives in prison.

Illiteracy is fixable, “like any other ailment, such as a broken arm,” in the description of Al Wendler, president of the Horry County Literacy Council. However, acknowledging the problem is not easy. “People are embarrassed to admit they can’t read — it’s very touchy.”

And on the solution side, “a lot of people can’t relate to literacy like they can to cancer,” says Pat Bush, director of the Literacy Council. This has an impact on recruiting volunteer tutors. “We never have enough volunteers,” Bush says. Being a tutor requires a commitment of two hours a week. “To do work like this, you have to make a substantial commitment,” Wendler says. “You have to want to do this.”

Bush and Wendler feel there are people throughout the area who do want to help, and are willing to learn the Barton Reading and Spelling system, which takes several one-hour sessions. While being a tutor is different from other volunteer work, there is much satisfaction in helping youngsters or adults learn how to read.

The council’s focus since 2010 has been screening and tutoring using the Barton system. The council also has programs for adults and teens in English as a Second Language and in earning their GED after having dropped out of school. Learning systems other than Barton are used, depending on a person’s level.

The council is preparing for its 11th annual Murder Mystery Evening on Jan. 28 at Sea Mist Resort in Myrtle Beach. The cast of actors for “Murder Most Green” includes area television anchors Allyson Floyd and Tim McGinnis of WPDE-TV 15. Seating will be more limited than for last year’s fundraiser, which netted $14,000 for the nonprofit. Bush says a silent auction will have golf packages, restaurant gift cards and so forth. Sponsorships are available. Grand Strand Regional Medical Center is the event’s major sponsor.

The council is settling into a new home, at 923 N. Kings Highway in Myrtle Beach. The council was in a Horry County Schools building torn down for a new school, then in the Goodwill building in Carolina Forest for four months before moving in August 2016 to the Kings Highway storefront, owned by First United Methodist Church.

Bush has been involved with the council since 2007, and is still trying to retire again. For 14 years, she ran the Scotland County literacy program in Laurinburg, N.C. Wendler taught high school English for 23 years, finishing his teaching career at St. James High School. He was looking to volunteer, and became a tutor for the Literacy Council. He’s been on the board two years and president for a year and a half.

The Horry County Literacy Council dates to 1976 and is a community partner of the United Way of Horry County.

This story was originally published January 17, 2017 at 9:53 PM with the headline "Literacy Council seeking committed volunteer tutors."