Literacy and Lumpkin

Next time you are in line at Walmart*, look at the person in front of you and then at the person behind you. Based on statistics in Lumpkin County, it's possible that neither of those people can read.

That's what a member of the Lumpkin Literacy Coalition said to me at a meeting once. Unfortunately, she's right. According to U.S. Census reports and other literacy studies, one third of the adults in Lumpkin County are not able to read. (Latest estimates are the number of non-readers and low readers is around 3,300.)

Imagine shopping and not being able to read. You can't read the labels. You can't read the signs. You can't read your receipt.

Now imagine your child asks you to read a story. Or the teacher sends you a form to fill out. Or you have a job application to complete. Or a test to take to get a job. Not being able to read is a handicap to the non-reader, and, regretfully, a handicap also to our county. Companies want an educated, skilled workforce.

Ga.'s First Lady

The county's non-literacy rate and its impact on the local economy are the main topics of  the Adult Learning (ALL) Summit taking place in Dahlonega Wednesday, Oct. 10, at North Georgia College and State University (NGCSU).

Senator Steve Gooch, who heads the county's Business Development Authority is presenting the Summit which will feature Sandra Deal, Georgia's First Lady and a former teacher, as keynote speaker.

The hope of the half day meeting is that the attendees - important business, civic and government leaders - will realize how critical the literacy issue is and vow to do more to support the efforts of the Lumpkin Literacy Coalition and local GED program. (By more, we mean MORE than just buying a ticket to a Literacy Coalition event or writing a check.)

*Note to readers: Walmart is the only major grocery store/shopping center in Lumpkin and is an oft-frequented store by Dahlonega and Beyond. In fact, D&B were there today.