Dreams Do Come True

Thank you to Two Writing Teachers for creating a place to share our Slice of Life. Read more slices or add you own here.

Today is a day I have been looking forward to for a long time.  It is the beginning of what I think will be a wonderful experience.  Today we had our first meeting for the Next Chapter Book Club.  Those of you who read my blog regularly know how much this means to me.

The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) was established in 2002 by the Ohio State University Nisonger Center.  NCBC is a community literacy program for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The program provides them with opportunities to be part of a group activity and to build social connections within bookstores, coffee shops, and cafés.  The book clubs consist of five to eight members with disabilities and two volunteer facilitators.  There are over 100 book clubs in North America and Europe.  Now there is one in Vincennes, Indiana.

I heard about NCBC on Jaana's Writing Blog, and last March I was trained to be a program coordinator.  Our path to launch this book club has contained many bumps, but my dream finally became a reality today.  There are five ladies in our book club, and each one brings her own specialness to the group.  There is Carolyn loves to swim at the YMCA and enjoys reading biographies.  Suzie who loves children, especially babies.  Maria who works five days a week, has a boyfriend and listens to mystery audio books.  Becca who loves to go bowling rounds out the group.

I get to share my love of reading with my students each and every day.  It is the best part of being a teacher of reading.  But sharing my love of reading to people with disabilities has brought a new joy.  The best part of the meeting was when one of them said, "This was fun!  I think I want to do it again."

Literacy should have no boundaries or limits, whether it be age, poverty or ability.  It should be literacy for life - every life. ~ Leigh Anne Eck

SOLSC #29 - Continuing the Dream

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Celebrate with Ruth Ayres

Today I celebrate a vision, a dream, and an opportunity.

This week I had the opportunity to become part of a wonderful program, the Next Chapter Book Club.  The Next Chapter Book Club (NCBC) was established in 2002 by the Ohio State University Nisonger Center.  NCBC is a community literacy program for adolescents and adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities.  The program provides them with opportunities to be part of a group activity and to build social connections within bookstores, coffee shops, and cafés.  The book clubs consist of five to eight members with disabilities and two volunteer facilitators.  There are over 100 book clubs in North America and Europe.

This week I traveled to Columbus, Ohio to be trained as a NCBC coordinator.  I am now able to begin a book club and train volunteer facilitators here in my hometown.

I have had several people question why I wanted to do this.  After much thought and seeing a book club in action, I have developed an answer, a mantra, a mission statement, a core belief, or whatever else you would like to call it.

I believe literacy experiences should have no boundaries or limits, whether it be age, poverty or a disability.  It should be literacy for life - every life.

I love to read.  I love to share my reading with anyone who will listen.  Many of us have participated in some type of book club.  It is a social experience.  As a teacher,  I am fortunate to share books with my students.  As an adult, I share books with family and friends and through social media.  I am able to use Twitter and my blog as a way to share my passion with others.  Why shouldn't everyone have this opportunity?

I shared a little about my dream in this post and here.  Today I am giving you another glimpse into my dream.  I want to create an organization which promotes and provides literacy experiences within my community.  When I read about NCBC on Jaana's Writing Blog, I knew this fit within my dream, so I went after it.

After seeing this book club in action, I felt it.  That tug at my heart.  That tug which told me I was doing the right thing.  That this was meant to be part of my dream.

Watching these members read, laugh, make connections, and grow socially was an amazing experience.  They meet at a local Barnes and Noble and read literature which ranges from adapted classics to contemporary fiction to newspapers.  The day I observed, they were reading a short story about having a bad hair day - something in which we can all relate.

I left that day with many questions.  Why shouldn't people with disabilities have this opportunity to share a reading experience?  Why shouldn't they be able to make connections with a character?  Why shouldn't they be able to laugh with friends?

This was truly an amazing experience, an experience worth celebrating.

I will continue to share the beginning of our new NCBC here on my blog.  If you are interested in information about starting a NCBC in your community, click here to go to their website.

Celebrate Good Times, Come On! - 2/22

Each Saturday  Ruth Ayres invites us to share and celebrate events from our week. Looking for small celebrations has certainly improved my outlook on my week. For that, I am certainly grateful to Ruth and to all of you who choose to celebrate with us.

I am so excited about my celebration this week - heart tugs!

Last summer I read a post on Jaana's Writing Blog about a special book club for adults with disabilities.  It is called the Next Chapter Book Club.  When I read her story, I felt an instant heart tug.  So I inquired about getting one started here in my hometown.  The training was quite expensive, and I had no idea where to start.  I put the project on hold.

The first of December my daughter told me how her education club at the university she attends, works with a group of college aged students with disabilities   One of her professors was in charge of this group.  Again, I felt a heart tug.  I emailed the professor and told her about what I wanted to do and asked if she would be interested in helping me.  She replied that she could not commit but thought it would be perfect for her group.  Again, I put the project on hold.

In January I received an email from the director of NCBC stating they had lowered the registration fee by almost half.  At the same time, I came across a book called God-Sized Dreams by Holly Gerth.  Again, I felt a heart tug and this time it was pulling harder.

We have a church in our community which supports local community events.  I put some feelers out about the church funding the training for this project and received some positive feedback.  Once again, I felt a heart tug.

It is Friday, and I just came back from a meeting with the pastor.  They are going to fund it!  To say that I am excited would be an understatement!

I have a dream and wrote about it here.  My dream involves literacy for all ages but I have no clear idea of how it might look or where it may lead.  I know starting this club may be a small part - but it is a start to reaching that dream.

Starting this club has been tugging at my heart since summer.  Sometimes when we feel a tug, we ignore them for whatever reason.  We think it is impossible, too big, or even stupid.  I tried ignoring this tug, but it just would not go away.  Today my heart is filled with possibilities.  I am so glad I listened.

March 27th I will being going to Columbus, Ohio with a special education teacher to be trained by the Next Chapter Book Club.  I can't wait to bring this back to my community and REACH out to another group of readers who sometimes can be overlooked, but who still need to feel important and loved.

Today I celebrate heart tugs!