Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore enjoys successful 2016

Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore celebrates a successful year with its annual holiday social. During the course of the festivities, the organization recognizes one volunteer who, through his or her efforts, embodies the values of the agency and who has made an impact on the success of the organization each year. This year, LVVS recognized Barbara Erni of Deep River as its “Unsung Hero.”

We are especially grateful to Alex Foulkes and Wilson Castaneda of the Penny Lane Pub for hosting the event, their generosity in providing the facilities, food and servers and for making our guests feel at home for the holidays.

Special thanks goes to Elizabeth Steffen, who again provided a bounty of delicious desserts along with her helper Paula Ferrara. Special gratitude goes to Joanne Argersinger of the LVVS Board of Directors, our tutors and all those who made the evening special and who helped celebrate my upcoming retirement. I am so grateful and feel privileged to have been the recipient of their guidance, help and good wishes over the years. I am also humbled by their heartfelt gifts and recognition.

Finally, thanks is due to state Rep. Devin Carney and Old Saybrook First Selectman Carl Fortuna for taking time to share the evening with us. And special thanks goes to state Sens. Art Linares and Paul Formica and to the Connecticut Legislature for its recognition and steadfast support for the cause of literacy.

— John J. Ferrara, executive director, Literacy Volunteers Valley Shore, CT, Westbrook