Jill Schramm/MDN Pat Bolyard, president of the Minot Literacy Volunteers, left, and Angelina Edison, executive director/program coordinator for the organization, set up Saturday, Nov. 15, for a book sale that runs Thursday-Saturday, Nov. 20-22.

Residents looking to improve their skills in reading, writing or speaking have a friend in Minot Literacy Volunteers, a grassroots organization dedicated to providing that personal tutoring.

Minot Literacy Volunteers formed in the late 1980s as a nonprofit organization to provide instruction to meet the individualized literacy needs of the people of the area, said Angelina Edison, executive director/program coordinator.

“It’s one-on-one, confidential,” she said of the free services offered by volunteers. Tutoring takes place at public locations, such as libraries.

The Adult Learning Center provides space for Minot Literacy Volunteers’ operations, giving it a place for storing educational materials and for conducting its spring and fall fundraising book sales.

The fall book sale is scheduled for Thursday, Nov. 20, from 9 a.m.-6 p.m., and Friday and Saturday, Nov. 21 and 22, from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Adult Learning Center, 1609 Fourth Ave. NW. Books are sold for $5 for a large bag.

Community donations provide a large array of book sale items for all ages and interests, including popular authors, biographies, histories, classroom resources and collectibles. Donations are accepted at the Adult Learning Center year-round – and are especially appreciated just before the spring and fall sales. Delivery assistance is available for large donations, and receipts for tax purposes are available.

Volunteer members sort the books and organize them for the sales, sometimes with the help of student organizations through a partnership with schools.

Souris Valley United Way also supports Minot Literacy Volunteers, which enables the organization to acquire materials used in its tutoring.

Clients seek out literacy assistance for a variety of reasons. Edison said some are interested in getting their General Equivalency Diploma (GED) but need to get their literacy up to speed to be accepted into the program. Others are foreign speakers who know English but might not speak it well or might not be able to read and write it. Others have a hard time reading and comprehending documents necessary to get the jobs they want.

“We have families that come to us, too,” Edison said. “A predominant portion of our clients are adults or families.”

Youth make up a small portion of clients, but there are times when a student wants to drop out or school services just aren’t the fit they need. Schools have referred students for whom the confidential one-on-one literacy program can be an option. Edison said many clients are referred by the Adult Learning Center or word of mouth.

Edison said the program has been successful for clients who stick with it.

“We set a goal, and it’s sometimes very personalized,” she said. “We make that goal very achievable, and then we up the goal if they want to stay with us.”

The goal might be to get into a GED class, pass a test or get a better job. Some clients say they just want to be able to read to their children. Edison recalled one client who came later in life after raising his family and operating a successful business because he wanted to do something for himself by gaining the literacy skills that he lacked.

Clients can decide when they’re satisfied and no longer need tutoring. Even those who choose to discontinue before reaching their goals still say they feel they made progress and are more confident, Edison said.

Minot Literacy Volunteers welcomes more volunteers. Edison said enlarging the pool of volunteers improves the logistics of matching clients and volunteers. Tutoring sessions typically are once a week.

Volunteers must be 18 or older. Many are retired teachers but an education background isn’t necessary.

“They just have to have a desire to help,” Edison said.

Edison handles client intakes and provides guidance on goals, working with both the volunteers and clients to get them set up for successful tutoring and then assisting as needed over the course of that tutoring. Sessions may be structured or more conversational or exploratory.

People interested in learning more about volunteering can stop by the book sale Thursday evening or Saturday to speak with a volunteer. Memberships are $10 a year.

Other ways to connect with Minot Literacy Volunteers about volunteering or receiving services include leaving a message at 852-2614, sending an email to minotliteracy@gmail.com or reaching out via social media. Edison noted messages are checked only periodically so it may take a few days to get a response.