All About Us
“The mission of Literacy Volunteers of Franklin and Somerset Counties is to empower adults through learner-based tutoring in reading, writing, math and technology and to promote literacy in our community.”
Executive Director since 7/1/2015: Barbara Averill is passionate about literacy and grateful for the opportunity to engage in life long learning. She has a Masters Degree from USM in Special Education, taught in Maine for 9 years, and was sole proprietor of a successful restaurant at Sugarloaf Ski Area for 10 years.
Tutoring Program Coordinator and Administrative Assistant, employed since Fall of 2016: Sara Beech grew up in New Sharon and is currently working on her Community Education degree at Goddard College in Vermont. She has always pursued alternative education pathways and is a busy mom of 2. She sits on the board of the Wilton Free Public Library.
Board of Directors 2020:
Michelle Guilluame, Farmington – Chair
Matilda Holt, Farmington – Vice-Chair
Pat Starbird, Farmington -Second Vice-Chair
Nancy Austin, Treasurer
Judy Pottle, Livermore – Member
Anna Crocket-Member
Carol Palmer- Member
Erika Ouellete, Strong – Member
Alana Knapp, Farmington – Secretary
Services are provided for free.
- Individualized Tutoring: We offer confidential, individualized, one on one tutoring for adults who read at the twelfth grade level or lower. Our trained volunteer tutors work with students to set life-related literacy goals to improve skills like reading, writing, technology, or math. Also teach English as another language.
- Group Tutoring: We collaborate with area adult education programs and the Maine Humanities Council to provide an ongoing monthly community education program to explore topics such as health literacy, civics, and mathematical problem solving. We collaborate with Headstart to provide free children’s books and tutoring to parents with preschool children. We also collaborate with area nursing homes to provide monthly literacy experiences.
- Travelling Libraries: We recycle and sort gently used donated books and provide them for free in 13 locations in area food pantries, social service agencies, and community operations.
- Family Literacy Activities: We co-host events at our literacy center and at other locations around the community to encourage family literacy: such as annual all-ages poetry contest, biannual literacy festivals, and Literacy Bucks.
Volunteer Opportunities: We are always looking for individuals to share their time and expertise with our organization. For more information about volunteering, please click here.
Office Hours: LVFSC has 3 Literacy Centers with office hours on Wednesdays. We are available by appointment on other days.
- Mount Blue Literacy Center: Wednesday’s from 9am-12pm at 129 Seamon Road in Farmington.
- Spruce Mountain Literacy Center: Wednesday’s from 1-4 pm, on 9 Cedar St., in Livermore Falls
- Northern Franklin County Learning Center: Wednesday’s from 9am-12pm at the Phillips Public Library, Main St., Phillips
Contact Us: LVFSC office at 207-500-3131 or by email: literacyvolunteersfs@gmail.com. Find us on Facebook!