Monday, February 4, 2008

March is Reading Month

Did you know that March is Reading Month? In recognition of that, the Lily M. Literacy Campaign will be donating books to programs and schools throughout the country. If you have new books that you'd like to contribute--any reading level--please send them to the Lily M. Literacy Campaign. Just send me an e-mail (lilym@wmseditorial.com), and I'll send you the address.

Thank you.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Setting the Stage

Things are well under way for the first Lily M. Literacy Campaign Awards for Writing Excellence. The judges will soon be in place, and the submission guidelines will be out for adviser review by the end of next week! It's taken a while, but we're almost there.

Now that things are falling into place for these awards, I've begun thinking about other projects with which the Lily M. Literacy Campaign can get involved. I'd like to give an award for writing achievement among eighth-graders. I hope this will encourage young writers to keep writing. Like the Awards for Writing Excellence, these would probably be limited, in this case to a single school or a single city.

I'd also like to expand the program to include senior citizens and those for whom English is not their first language. This is proving to be more difficult, but I'm sure it can be done.

I'm also interested in a reading and writing program for transient workers.

I'm interested in your ideas. Send them to lilym@wmseditorial.com

Sunday, December 30, 2007

WELCOME!

Welcome to The Lily M. Literacy Campaign. We are a program of The Lily M. Foundation, Inc. The purpose of the campaign is to promote reading and writing among young people and adults. Unfortunately, budget cuts have hit many schools and communities, and services to help students and adults with reading and writing have been reduced if not entirely eliminated. Though the campaign and the foundation may not be able to solve that problem, it is our goal to help where we can.

Even before receiving out nonprofit corporation status, The Lily M. Literacy Campaign was already working toward making reading fun. We sponsored awards for the 2007 Ottumwa (Iowa) Public Library's Summer Reading Program. More details will follow.

Two graduates of a New York state high school will win scholarships from the first Lily M. Literacy Campaign Scholarship for Writing Excellence. Plans include expanding the scholarship program to other low-income communities. We are also working on establishing a relationship with a nongovernment-recognized Native American tribe, perhaps working on a literacy program or even building a library. Of course that's a longer term project.

If you'd like to help, please send an e-mail to lilym@wmseditorial.com