Benefits With Friends: Read Between the Wines adapted to covid concerns

Read Between the Wines, to benefit the Literacy Council of Benton County, is an adaptation for 2021. Organizers say they are "pleased to announce the return of our fine-dining fundraising event, Read Between the Wines, at River Grille Steakhouse. By purchasing tickets, you will receive gift cards to be used for lunch or dinner at your convenience. We would love to do an in-person event for everyone all on the same night but, due to the coronavirus, we won't this year."

Ticket prices for the fundraiser are:

• $200 -- Purchaser receives $80 River Grille Steakhouse gift card, three chances to win a drawing for prizes, and $120 of the purchase price will be tax deductible;

• $125 -- $50 River Grille gift card, two chances to win and $75 is tax deductible;

• $50 donation -- No gift card, but one chance to win and full price is tax deductible.

Proceeds from the benefit will help the group achieve its mission of increasing "adult English literacy by developing volunteer tutors to teach adult students to read and write English, because literacy changes lives."

Literacy program offerings include adult basic literacy, English as a second language and tutor training. The group served some 150 adults last year and relies on trained volunteer tutors to do so. The council currently has some 55 tutors and approximately 100 students on a waiting list for an available tutor with a schedule that meshes with their work hours.

Vicki Ronald, executive director, says the nonprofit organization has continued to serve students throughout the pandemic by offering virtual tutoring. She notes that the council saw an increase in students as those who weren't working because of the pandemic took the opportunity to use their time improving their English.

-- CARIN SCHOPPMEYER

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