The Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Community celebrated Read Around America Week with a series of free breakfast events provided for teachers and administrators by Huddle House of Calhoun. It followed up the breakfasts by partnering with Kiwanis Club of Calhoun to present reading events and wrapped up the week with its annual dictionary distribution.

“The Council is grateful to Gregg Hansen, who owns our local Huddle House and whose profound generosity made it possible for hundreds of our school staff, teachers and administrators to enjoy a free, full-service breakfast during this very busy week,” said Joni Harbin, Executive Director of the Calhoun Gordon Council for a Literate Community. “This is the second year in a row that Mr. Hansen has given so generously and we cannot thank him enough. The free breakfast he provides is such a nice gesture to the school employees during Read Around America Week.”

The week began with breakfast at Sonoraville Elementary on Monday, Belwood Elementary and Calhoun Pre-K on Tuesday, Calhoun Elementary and Calhoun Primary on Wednesday and Red Bud Elementary on Thursday. Literacy Council volunteers signed up to read at nearly every elementary and primary school in Calhoun and Gordon County. Melissa Bagnoche, Gloria Cooley and Judy Norris represented Kiwanis Club of Calhoun by reading at several schools.

Each year, the Council delivers dictionaries to each and every third grade class and that distribution took place at the end of Read Around America Week, with nearly 1,000 books put in the hands of students.

The Council seeks to improve family literacy and adult literacy in Gordon County by fostering positive attitudes about learning in young students and supporting adult education programs. The Council conducts reading activities, provides dictionaries and library books, sponsors an annual “Stay In School” tee-shirt contest and maintains an active presence in the public schools. It supports Gordon County public libraries and presents an attendance program (GRAD) that rewards schools and students for excellent attendance.

This year, it has focused on technological support for the schools and the Georgia Northwestern Technical College Adult Learning Center. Adult literacy is an important element of the Calhoun-Gordon Council for a Literate Community mission. The Council supports GNTC’s Adult Learning Center by providing GED preparation support, funding test fees, hosting events and sponsoring the annual graduation ceremony. The Council also acknowledges GED recipients who have gone on to create meaningful and successful careers with the annual GEDD Wall of Honor Event.

Through the generosity of sponsors including Andy Baxter Photography, Beth & Company, Branch Banking & Trust, Calhoun City Schools, Calhoun First Baptist Church, Downtown Calhoun, DRO Management, Georgia Northwestern Technical College, Gordon County Chamber of Commerce, Gordon County College & Career Academy, Gordon County Schools, Gordon Hospital, Huddle House, Kiwanis Club of Calhoun, Larry Dixon Construction, Mannington Mills, Mohawk Industries, North Georgia National Bank, Starr-Mathews Agency, United Way of Gordon County, Vaughn & Leggett and Winter & Scoggins, and its own fundraisers, the Council is able to support adult learning scholarships and GED activities throughout the calendar year.

The Council also will sponsor the Gordon County Chamber of Commerce Booster Breakfast held at Belmont Baptist Church on Friday, March 22, 2013. Connie H. Smith, Vice President of Adult Education at Georgia Northwestern Technical College, will be the keynote speaker. Smith will talk about the impact that literacy has on the business community and economic development as well as the progress accomplished over the last decade.