The Muskingum County Literacy Council is hosting a Literacy Summit, on Thursday, Oct. 18, in collaborations with other community organizations to eliminate low literacy in the community.

The Muskingum County Literacy Council is collaborating with the Zanesville-Muskingum County Health Department, Muskingum Valley ESC, Muskingum County Library System, Pro Literacy and the Dollar General Literacy Foundation to host the summit.

The organizations, which individually fight against low literacy, are bringing their skills together to better serve the community during the summit on Oct. 18.

“We’re collaborating with these partners so that we can provide guidance and resources and support in literacy for our community,” Christy Casto-Lemley, the Volunteer and Project Coordinator with Muskingum Literacy Council, said. “And our ultimate hope, of course, is to identify and coordinate the literacy needs with our youth and adult and family literacy to create solutions to hopefully eradicate the (low) literacy in our community.”

The event is open to anyone or any organization in the community that is interested in literacy efforts in Muskingum County, even those who are wanting to volunteers to improve literacy, Casto-Lemley said.

“We’re hoping that, with this, there will be a better understanding and information out there to help our adults and our children to learn,” Casto-Lemley said.

According to research done by the health department, Casto-Lemley said that the adult literacy within the community is in major need.

“Literacy with children starts within the home,” Casto-Lemley said. “So, if you have an adult who is considered low literacy, which is 3rd grade or below in the reading standards, your children will most likely struggle with their literacy needs, as well.”

The organizations and people coming together for the summit are looking to find solutions to literacy issues. Thus, the event is for those looking to improve literacy efforts and not people who are looking to improve their own literacy, although, Casto-Lemley said there are programs in the community to help people better their own literacy.

Mid-East Career and Technology Center offers a variety of opportunities for adults.

Adults looking for literacy assistance can contact C.A.R.E about the Career and Academic Readiness Program, which is an adult diploma program. C.A.R.E offers free classes in six counties in Southeastern Ohio. Call 740.454.7242 for more information or online at Mid-East’s website.

The deadline to register for the summit, due to the provided lunch, is Thursday, Oct. 11. To register, click here. For more information contact Cindy Lawyer at MuskingumCLC@gmail.com.