Dear Friends of Literacy,
LVWC's staff and board is passionate about our mission: providing free services to adult learners. Below you'll find notes written to donors, prospective and returning, by our Executive Director, Program Director, and President of the Board.
A Note from the Executive Director
by Torey Malatia
There is an excitement—bordering on terror--to being not only new to an institution as I am with Literacy Volunteers of Washington County, but also new to the very social service it specializes in. Everything is a discovery: Watching a Spanish-primary speaker attempting to make sense of the absence of a formal “you” in English; hearing a Mandarin speaker struggling to produce sounds completely unknown in her native language; sitting in an energetic conversation class, noticing a couple of students who are eager to contribute a comment, and almost do until the last moment, when uncertainty keeps them silent.
We take the ability to read, write, and converse as part of daily life. But when the language the community uses is one you lack knowledge of, you are effectively walled off from communal life. Imagine wishing to be a new American—an active contributing part of a neighborhood, a town, a state, a nation. Being illiterate in English is more isolating than being cast aside.
The power working to overcome these difficulties is determination and dedication. Our students at Literacy Volunteers of Washington County embrace these challenges with zeal and drive. And our Tutors, donating their focused, personalized teaching, feed the fire.
It’s inspiring to see. And I’m proud to be a part of it. I hope you are proud to be a donor.
A Note from the Program Director
by Theresa Gregal
I have been with LVWC since 2006, first as a volunteer then as a literacy specialist. A lot has changed since then. What hasn’t changed is LVWC’s commitment to helping adult learners with their literacy needs whatever they may be.
LVWC is uniquely placed in this regard. Though there are many formal adult education classes to choose from and all worthwhile, where does the adult go for individual help to improve reading, learn English, or study for a driver’s license?
Nowadays, adult education is very much grounded in workplace training, and some of our students even take part in these classes. But one size does not fit all, and that is where LVWC comes in.
We had a student from the Dominican Republic come to Westerly from New London to meet with a tutor. He was taking an ESL class there, but he needed help with his conversational skills, which is hard to address in a typical classroom setting. I can personally identify. I took 4 years of French in high school and a semester in college, and I still couldn’t speak it because I was too afraid of making a mistake in front of a room full of people.
Many of our students feel the same way. We often say here that if you aren’t making mistakes, you’re not learning. By working with a tutor, they build trusting relationships that encourage the student to walk through the fear of making a mistake.
Organizations like LVWC are important more than ever; however, as sources for funding streamline and larger nonprofits gobble up littler ones, free, individual tutor help for adults is disappearing.
Luckily for LVWC, we continue to grow.
A Note from the President of the Board
by Margaret Stamatis
I’m honored to step into the role of Board President at Literacy Volunteers of Washington County, an organization that has meant a great deal to my family and to me for decades.
My connection to LVWC runs deep. In the early 1990s, my mother, Margaret Moore Driscoll, served as Executive Director. After her passing, my father, Robert Driscoll, took on the role of Board President. Today, my sister Anne is an officer on the Board. For us, LVWC isn’t just a nonprofit - it’s a legacy of service and commitment to helping others thrive in Westerly and surrounding communities.
What inspires me most about LVWC is its unwavering focus on empowering adults through literacy. Every day, our volunteer tutors work one-on-one with learners who are striving to improve their English literacy skills, connect with neighbors, and fully participate in their community. In 2024 alone, 84 tutors provided nearly 2,000 hours of free instruction.
These efforts are only possible because of you - our generous donors and dedicated partners. Your support keeps our programs free, personal, and deeply impactful.
As I begin this next chapter with LVWC, I do so with gratitude for all those who have built this organization into what it is today - and with excitement for the work ahead.
I’d like to thank Robin Springborn, outgoing Board President, for her many years of leadership and enthusiasm, as well as Mary Carol Kendzia, former Executive Director. As Torey and I look ahead, we’re honored to continue the legacy of Joyce Ahearn and the hundreds of staff, volunteers and tutors who have provided these services in the Westerly area for decades.