THE ELIZABETH C. GUMBART SERVICE AWARD
In 1971 parishioners at Christ Lutheran Church in Hamden formed a grass-roots literacy tutoring group. They incorporated in 1981 as Literacy Volunteers of Greater New Haven, with Elizabeth C. (Betsy) Gumbart serving as one of the founders. Betsy went on to serve as the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers in 1981. In 1989 the Board of Directors established the “Elizabeth C. Gumbart Service Award” and gave it to Betsy to honor the extraordinary service she had given to Literacy Volunteers. They stated that the award was to be given in the future to a person who demonstrates and exemplifies high standards of meritorious service to Literacy Volunteers.
The Gumbart award was given to Lee Nelson in 1991. Lee retired in February of 1991 as the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers after serving in that capacity for three years. Under her leadership the agency experienced a three-fold growth in program, staff and financial resources. Lee had a strong belief in the value of Literacy Volunteers and helped the Agency develop into a position of national leadership, gaining recognition and awards from state and national literacy organizations.
Nancy Bove was recipient of the Gumbart award at the annual meeting in 1992. Nancy began volunteering with Literacy Volunteers in 1985 as a tutor and became a tutor trainer in 1986. She coordinated a Workplace Literacy Project at Yale-New Haven Hospital in 1989 that became a model for other Workplace Literacy projects at the Hospital of St. Raphael and at Schick-Warner Lambert. Nancy continued to volunteer as a tutor trainer for many years.
In 1993 the Gumbart award was given to a supremely dedicated tutor, Ethel Moran. Ethel began tutoring ESL students in 1984. At the time she was given the award, Ethel, at the age of 82, was tutoring 17 Russian students full-time--40 hours a week. When Ethel retired after 14 years of tutoring, the 76 students she had worked with joined her at a party at the Mitchell Library to celebrate her life and their success.
Beth Ineson was given the Gumbart Award in 1994. She served as a dedicated tutor and a tutor trainer from 1991 to 1994.
Susan Holahan received the Gumbart Award in 2001. Susan served as the Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers from 1996 to 2001. She contributed an enormous amount to the stability and the growth of the agency, bringing in new funding partners and new community contacts.
Irv Leskowitz received the Gumbart Award in 2003. He started as a tutor with Literacy Volunteers in 1987 after retiring from 35 years of teaching. He soon became a tutor trainer. Irv trained hundreds of tutors and became known as the “Dean” of the training corps.
The Gumbart award was given to Don Desmond in 2004. Don began volunteering as a tutor in 1978. Twenty-seven years later Don’s dedication to the cause of adult literacy and his unselfish volunteer service still exemplify excellence in volunteerism. Don has served as a volunteer tutor and as a tutor trainer. We estimate that Don annually donates more than 400 hours of his time to volunteering for Literacy Volunteers in addition to his full-time job as an ESL teacher with New Haven’s Adult Education.
Lloyd Ayer was given the Gumbart Award in 2005. He is one of those people who seem to enjoy saying “yes” with a smile! He initially said yes to Literacy Volunteers in 1992, when he took the Tutor Training class and began working with the first of many Basic Literacy students. He said yes again in 1993 when he was asked to serve on the Board of Directors for Literacy Volunteers, and again a few years later when he was asked to become a Tutor Trainer.
Jean Haglind, an original incorporator of the New Haven affiliate of Literacy Volunteers, was given the Gumbart Award in 2006. Jean has been a dedicated supporter and a passionate cheerleader for literacy since 1981. We applaud her dedication and hard work and are enormously grateful to her for making a difference in our community.
The Gumbart Award was also presented to Doss Venema in 2006. Doss has been the hard-working Executive Director of Literacy Volunteers since 2001. Working towards the goal of 100% literacy in our community, Doss has vastly expanded the reach and the scope of Literacy Volunteers over the past five years.
Chris Alexander, the Executive Director of the New Haven Reads Book Bank, was given the Gumbart Award in 2007. Chris’s passion for championing the cause of 100% literacy in the New Haven community is legendary. As the volunteer director of the Book Bank, Chris has been responsible for giving away more than 135,000 free books this year and managing the efforts of 75 volunteer tutors who are working with 200 children.
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARDS
COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIP AWARDS ARE GIVEN EACH YEAR AT THE ANNUAL MEETING. THEY RECOGNIZE THE OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTIONS THAT PEOPLE HAVE MADE TO FURTHER THE CAUSE OF LITERACY IN OUR COMMUNITY
2007
Gateway Community College
Dr. Dorsey Kendrick, President
Greater Meriden Chamber of Commerce
Séan W. Moore, President
New Haven Adult Education Program
Alicia Caraballo, Principal
2006
The Record-Journal
Eliot White, Publisher
The newspaper has been a true community partner to Literacy Volunteers, providing the support and the assistance necessary to help us make a difference. From spreading the message of why 100% literacy is critically important, to publicizing the ongoing need for more volunteer tutors, offering advice, and covering the annual Scrabble fundraising event, we have always been able to depend on the support of the Record-Journal.
The Knights of Columbus
Bob Lane, Supreme Secretary
For their ongoing support of the New Haven Scrabble Challenge and for their help in making sure that every adult who seeks literacy services will receive the help they need to improve their skills and expand their lives.
2005
The Meriden Public Library
Marcia Trotta, Director
The Library has donated office space and tutoring space to us, supported hundreds of tutor training sessions, provided resources to countless literacy tutors, served on our Board of Directors, offered advice, and collaborated with us in every possible way as we expanded our staff and our programs. The partnership has helped the many students who have sought our services improve their skills and improve their lives. We salute Marcia and the Meriden Public Library for all their efforts to achieve 100% literacy in the Meriden community.
People’s Bank
Jim Keegan, First Vice President
Jim Keegan responded with a “yes” and a big confident smile when we asked People’s Bank to join us as the presenting sponsor of the Sunday Scrabble for Literacy. He clearly saw the value of a partnership that linked People’s Bank with Literacy Volunteers, the Yale Bookstore and all the people from the Greater New Haven community who love to play Scrabble. More than 150 people enjoyed playing competitive Sunday Scrabble at the seven Tournaments held this year. All players listened to the message of what they could do to help promote the goal of 100% literacy in the community, and most responded to the challenge.
2004
The Spanish Community of Wallingford
Blanca Santana, Executive Director
In recognition of their extraordinary efforts to partner with us to make the Spanish Community of Wallingford ESOL tutoring site a success for so many students.
Charles Blango
Member, New Haven Board of Aldermen
In recognition of his ongoing support and assistance to the literacy effort in the City of New Haven.
Lysie Rodriguez and Wanda Moreno
Hill-Central School, New Haven
In recognition of their extraordinary efforts to make the Hill-Central ESOL tutoring site a
success.
2003
Dr. Dorsey Kendrick
President, Gateway Community College
For her ongoing support of the New Haven Scrabble Challenge and her assistance in helping us reach towards the goal of 100% literacy in the Greater New Haven Area.
Kristen Cusato
WTNH Channel 8
For her support and assistance with the annual New Haven Scrabble Challenge and for helping us increase the public’s awareness of the problems created by low literacy.
Ramona Gatison
Principal, Lincoln-Bassett School, New Haven
For her support and assistance with literacy programs for parents at Lincoln- Bassett School.
20 YEAR TUTOR SERVICE AWARDS
Manette Adams
Manette Adams has been a dedicated literacy tutor for the past 20 years. When she first came to Literacy Volunteers she checked off the following adjectives to describe herself: out-going, compassionate and open-minded. Twenty years later, the many students whose lives she has changed would certainly agree with this! Manette has never hesitated when asked to take on a new student; she accepts each new challenge with great joy and gives 100% of herself to her students. Through her tutoring she has touched hundreds of lives—helping, listening, encouraging, and gradually moving her adult students towards the gift of literacy. If we were to list the characteristics she displays today, we would add kindness, perseverance and compassion. Thank you Manette! You have been a wonderful tutor and an extraordinary example for all the volunteer tutors.
Robert Glen
Robert Glen first saw a newspaper ad looking for volunteer literacy tutors in 1985. He was teaching at the time and wanted to volunteer, so he signed up for a Tutor Training class in West Haven. Robert has been an enthusiastic and highly committed tutor ever since. He spent six years working with inmates at Crossroads, where he successfully tutored hundreds of grateful students. More recently he has tutored at another correctional program, Connections, working steadily with and inspiring a classroom of pre-GED students. Robert, who teaches history at the University of New Haven, said that his 20 years of tutoring have gone by too fast. He looks forward to tutoring for 20 more years! We thank Robert for all he has done to change the lives of so many students in New Haven, and we hope to have the opportunity to work with this amazing tutor for 20 more years.
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