KALAMAZOO, MI – The Kalamazoo Literacy Council (KLC) is gearing up for its biggest fundraising event of the year, Scrabble Fest, this Saturday, August 9th, at the Radisson Plaza Hotel from 12 to 3:30 p.m. Executive Director Michael Evans, now in his 15th year with the organization, joins Cara Lieurance to discuss the event and the role the KLC plays in the community.
"This is our major fundraiser for the Kalamazoo Literacy Council to raise awareness and funds to support the cause of adult literacy," Evans said. The KLC provides free services to adults seeking to improve their reading and language skills. The organization targets the 13% of Kalamazoo County's adult population that reads below a fourth-grade level. "We want to remove every barrier to learning," Evans says, explaining that the services are customized to the learners' goals, whether it's to secure a better job, achieve citizenship, or become a "more confident and capable first teacher" for their children. He highlighted the profound impact of parent literacy, noting that a child’s academic success is directly tied to the reading level of their primary caregiver.
In addition to its one-on-one tutoring programs, the Read and Seed community garden, located behind the Goodwill Industries building, serves as an "outdoor classroom" where families can engage in literacy activities like "story walks" and learn about the connection between gardening, health, and reading. Another project, called Edison: Education Is On in Edison, has transformed a section of the Portage Creek into the Albert White Literacy Trail, featuring a street mural and a reading corner with free books and a solar-powered table for charging devices.
Evans says the uncertain funding environment for adult education makes community-supported events like Scrabble Fest even more critical. "It's not grant-dependent, it's community-dependent," he says. Beyond attending the festival, volunteers are needed for various roles, including literacy tutors, book club leaders, and digital skills instructors.
But according to Evans, "Literacy is the root solution to a great many community challenges that we have." To learn more or get involved, visit kalamazooliteracy.org. That's where you can register for the remaining slots in Kalamazoo Scrabble Fest. It offers three divisions of play: a "competitive division" for serious players, a "Just for Fun division," and a "four-person teams category."
