”
Because together we can promote our community success
”
is their motto, and starting Monday, Vision Literacy will offer
computer workshop classes at Eliot Elementary School.
“Because together we can promote our community success” is their motto, and starting Monday, Vision Literacy will offer computer workshop classes at Eliot Elementary School. It’s the great partnership between United Way, Vision Literacy and this local school that makes this community program possible. Classes are free and childcare will be provided for children younger than 7. This is a great opportunity for parents who need to hone their basic computer skills.
Vision Literacy is committed to empowering adults in Santa Clara County through improving their literacy skills. They are to be commended for going beyond being simply a tutoring program for improving reading skills to also addressing the need for computer literacy in this Internet age when computer skills have become necessary to nearly every job.
I hope that those who need these skills will truly consider signing up and will not be shy or intimidated about taking advantage of this great opportunity. In his poem titled “Embarrassment,” Vision Literacy student Ruben Dozal, Jr., tells about the shame people often feel when trying to find the courage to learn to read and write at a more advanced age. He describes how he walked back and forth outside the door to the tutoring program. He kept trying to go in, but it took many tries before he finally made it. It was one of the best moves he ever made in his life, and now he is a published poet and public speaker. If you know someone who needs to work on computer literacy skills, please encourage them to give these classes a try.
I need to make a couple of corrections to previous columns. In the Feb. 8 column about the fundraiser for Chuck Myer, I mentioned that Chuck Myer is a “father of three.” This must have come as a bit of a shock to his wife when she read it, since as far as anyone knows, he is the father of only two children. I thank my readers for letting me know when I don’t take the time to check my facts.
I mentioned in the Feb. 22 column that Myer was in a barbershop quartet called the “Uncalled Four” when he lived in Gilroy, along with Frank Pattie and David Drom. I forgot to mention that the fourth member of the quartet was Charles Krahenbuhl. Readers asked me if I had really meant a trio, but no, there were four of them, and they were so good that when they went to the tryouts for “Music Man” as a quartet, they were selected hands down. Krahenbuhl adds that they went on to change their name to “Four Members Only” and performed for many years.
The Feb. 23 benefit for publishing Myer’s self-help book about fighting Melanoma was a huge success. Money is still coming in, thanks to the talents of many different local singers, musicians and performers. For me, one of the highlights of the evening came when Beverly Blount entered the room from the back singing black spirituals a cappella. Nothing but her voice soaring alone as she slowly made her way up the aisle to the front of the church – it was one of those moments when you get goose pimples, and a perfect moment of celebrating Black History Month. Blount is an oncology nurse who spends her days giving chemotherapy to patients. Her ability to always keep a positive outlook on life is truly inspiring.
To get more information about the computer workshop classes at Eliot Elementary School , call Louise at 848-5366. Classes start March 10. To donate to the fund for Chuck Myer, call (408) 847-1210.
