FOLEY - November is Family Literacy Awareness Month, and the South Baldwin Literacy Council (SBLC) is hosting multiple events to promote childhood literacy.

“By the time a child gets to 3rd grade, they’ve been given all of the reading tools they can possibly be given,” said Susan Bartholomew, youth services coordinator. “From kindergarten through 3rd grade you’re learning to read, then from 4th grade onwards you’re reading to learn. If you don’t get it by the time you’re in 3rd grade, you’re not going to get it. Our kids that come to us are behind, some are behind as much as two grades.”

The SBLC has scheduled multiple events that Bartholomew hopes will be educational and enjoyable for the students the SBLC tutors.

Each Saturday in November at 9:30 a.m., the SBLC tutors and volunteers will be at the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo for some reading time. Each reading time begins with a book about an animal in the zoo, and immediately after story time zookeepers will teach the children about an animal featured in the book. An adult must accompany each child during the program. The programs will be approximately 45 minutes to one hour.

Reading times on Nov. 20 and 27 will occur in designated areas within the Alabama Gulf Coast Zoo and will be included with a paid general zoo admission. Reading time on Nov. 13 will occur outside of the zoo within the classroom located in the gift shop and will be free to all participants. A special reading time taking place on Tuesday, Nov. 23 will be held in the classroom located in the gift shop and will also be free to attend.

Tuesday, Dec. 7 will be the final after school tutoring session for Foley students enrolled in the fall tutoring program. To bring the season to a close, the SBLC will be heading to The Copper Kettle Tea Bar (106 N. Chicago St.) between 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. to listen to their very own train conductor read “The Polar Express.” Participants are encouraged to come in their favorite pajamas to enjoy story time, hot chocolate, cookies and nougat.

“We’re getting silver bells that say the word ‘believe’ on them, because I want the students to know that we believe in them, that they can believe in themselves and that they can do this,” said Bartholomew. “These are our future leaders, these are our mayors, our congressmen, our governors, our presidents. These kids are our future and we need to believe in them, we want them to know that we believe in them because without that, they just give up hope. We want them to have that hope.”

To learn more about the SBLC’s upcoming children’s events, follow them on Facebook @southbaldwinliteracycouncil. For tutoring opportunities for children and adults or to learn about volunteering, visit www.SouthBaldwinLiteracyCouncil.com.