Courtesy of Gary 411 • Written by The 411 News
Gary Literacy Coalition presents “King’s Ransom” Fundraiser
The Gary Literacy Coalition, Inc. (GLC) is proud to announce the return of its signature Dinner/Theater fundraiser which will be held Thursday, November 4th at 6:00 p.m. at the Dean and Barbara White Community Center in Merrillville. The play “King’s Ransom,” written by author and GLC Board President Ben Clement, is the featured “edu-tainment” of the evening.
“After a year’s hiatus, we are excited to bring our largest fundraiser back,” said Executive Director Lori Kuykendall. “The support of this event helps us continue our mission of making Gary a reading city. We are committed to reaching out to all who recognize the importance of building a literate community through providing greater access to literary opportunities.”
The stage play “King’s Ransom” is directed by West Side Theater Guild founder Mark Spencer and portrays a would-be kidnapper who lacks the skills of reading.
The Gary Literacy Coalition was founded by Dr. Steve Simpson in 2001 and serves as the primary literacy collaborative in the Gary community. The mission of GLC is to support, promote, enhance, and coordinate the accessibility of literacy opportunities, thus making Gary, “A Reading City.”
A few of the accomplishments of GLC include:
• Sponsored first urban “earth to space” experience allowing student contact with International Space Station
• Succeeded in putting over 40,000 books annually into the homes of local low income families
• Successfully operates Reach Out and Read, a pediatric early literacy program
• Supported over 60 partners during its existence Sponsors annual city-wide book events
• Organizes and distributes the annual “Summer Connections”… a guide to summer literacy opportunities
• Sponsors the “Learning Partners” Mentoring Project … supporting elementary school students
• Succeeds in putting books into the hands of every mother of a newborn at Methodist Hospitals
Sponsorship opportunities are still available. For more information, visit www.garyliteracycoalition.org or call 219-885-2229.
