LVM Executive Director Receives Honorary Doctorate

Roberta Soolman, LVM’s Executive Director, received an honorary doctorate in humane letters from University of Massachusetts at Amherst on May 22, 2004.  She received this honor in recognition of her contributions to literacy in Massachusetts showing that “lofty idealism can be combined with – and gloriously served by – iron resolve and canny political sense”. 

Roberta, LVM’s Executive Director since 1980, has led LVM to its current status as the leading and largest volunteer tutoring program in the state, providing services to more than 1,000 adults last year.  Her leadership in the field of adult literacy in Massachusetts includes serving as the Public Policy Co-Chair for the Massachusetts Coalition for Adult Education (MCAE), developing and implementing advocacy strategies that resulted in state funding for adult basic education increasing seven-fold from 1995 to 2004.  She served as the President of the MCAE Board of Directors from 1994 to 1999.

In addition to the honorary doctorate from the University of Massachusetts, Roberta has   received recognition awards from MCAE, the Boston Jaycees (Ten Outstanding Young Leaders in 1992), the New England Orton-Dyslexia Society (devoting special attention to the learning needs of dyslexic adults in 1989), the Women’s National Book Association (“Bookie” award honoring 70 women nationally for their contributions to the world of books in 1997) and the Massachusetts Association for Adult and Continuing Education (Adult Basic Educator of the Year in 1986).

 

LVM Wine Auction Raises $129,485!

Thank you to all of our sponsors, lot donors, contributors, attendees and volunteers for making the 2004 LVM Wine Auction on April 10th a record breaker. 

In the LVM Wine Auction tradition, all guests are asked to raise their paddles and get ready to bid. [insert picture]

(seated) Greg Shoukimas, Mariah Reiss, Sol Roth and Lara Louise Duffy, (back row) Matt Earley, Jay Vanerstrom, Ken Kunhardt, Mike Lorig and Dave Mittelman, guests of Jeroboam Sponsors Michele and David Mittelman [insert picture]

First time attendees Troy Rohrbaugh, Chris Lutton, Bob Savage and Christian Salomone from Magnum Sponsor Goldman Sachs.   [insert picture]

Sponsors

Jeroboam Sponsor:     Michele and David Mittelman

Magnum Sponsors:     The Boston Beer Company

                                   Citigroup

                                   Deutsche Bank

                                   Fidelity Investments

                                   Fleet

                                   Goldman Sachs

                                   Merrill Lynch

                                   TC Hayles & Company 

 

Bottle Sponsor:          Barclays Capital 

 

Glass Sponsors:         The Boston Globe

                                   Clair Motorcars

                                   JPMorgan Securities

                                   Private Healthcare Systems Inc. 

 

Media Sponsors:        boston.com

                                   The Boston Globe

                                   Boston Magazine

 

Meet LVM Students and Tutors

Michael Kersey, an LVM student for the past two years, spoke at the 2004 LVM Wine Auction, putting a face to those helped by the event’s proceeds.  Here are his remarks.

Hi.  I would like to start by saying thank you to the L.V.M. for having me here tonight.  I have struggled for most of my life with a reading problem.  When I was very young, I really liked school until the other students started to read and I could not.  I managed to find my way through with help from a few good teachers and my family.  I hid my reading problem from most people and somehow got a diploma without ever learning how to read.

After High School, I got a job working in Boston.  This is where I met my wife.  Michele was a student at Boston University.  After we dated for a while, I told her that I had a reading problem.  She was the first person other than my family that I told.  We got married and Michele worked with me on my reading problem.

When we had kids, it got to be difficult to find any time to work on my reading.  So, one day, Michele called the library to see if there was a program that could help.  That is when I started working with an L.V.M. teacher and it has changed my life.  I have been working with some one for over two years now.  Fiona meets with me every week.  She is great.  She has me reading books, writing stories and doing as much homework as my teenage daughters.