The Northeast Georgia History Center is preparing to host its third virtual telethon, and for the first time, the event will benefit Gainesville Reads.
The 24-hour telethon will start this Friday, Dec. 2, at 9 a.m. and viewers can stream the event from the Northeast Georgia History Center’s Youtube or Facebook.
The history center hosted its first telethon after its usual fundraisers were canceled by the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020. Around the same time, the history center created Gainesville Reads to help promote education and literacy.
The free reading program was able to lift off the ground, thanks to funding from the late First Lady Sandra Deal.
“In 2019, we honored Governor Nathan Deal, and the late First Lady Sandra Deal at our annual taste of history fundraiser,” Gainesville Reads Program Director Libba Beaucham said. “And of course, Nathan and Sandra have been huge supporters of children's literacy. That was really what sparked this initiative.”
Gainesville Reads kicked off in 2020, and quickly had to alter to a virtual platform due to the pandemic. But Beaucham said this change actually proved to be beneficial since it eliminated the transportation barrier.
“There are students that need this support that may not have the transportation to get here, but they have Internet access,” Beaucham said. “So we've actually kept on the virtual program and it's allowed us to reach even more students.”
Gainesville Reads and the upcoming telethon will make use of the Northeast Georgia History Center’s Digital Cottrell Studio, which allows the history center to broadcast to kids and even different schools.
Gainesville Reads currently has 46 students and 27 volunteer tutors. Tutors lead a group of eight to 10 students, who take turns reading and utilizing the vocabulary words that they have learned.
“We also play lots of fun games together, like a scavenger hunt, where we learn a new vocabulary word and have to go find an object in the house that is associated with that word,” Beaucham said. “So it's fun, it's engaging!”
As children and teachers deal with pandemic-related learning loss, Gainesville Reads provides children with a more intimate, comfortable setting to practice reading. The program also offers a one-on-one tutor option, so students can receive the individual attention they need.
“They're able to have that one-on-one support in a fun, comfortable environment,” Beaucham said. “And we really feel that this is a resource for teachers in a sense because so many teachers, especially in the public school system, aren't given that opportunity to have that one-on-one support per child. So that was a big reason that we want to continue this program and raise donations so that we can continue supporting students who faced those challenges of the pandemic, and were not able to get the support that they needed.”
In addition to funds, Gainesville Reads always needs tutors. Tutors do not need to have had any previous educational experience – they just need the passion and patience to help students succeed.
Passion for children’s literacy will also be evident in Friday's telethon event. This 24-hour marathon will have storytelling, games and a chance to interact with the community.
“We get to have an opportunity where all of us get to come together for a really good cause,” Beaucham said. “[We] learn about history, play these fun trivia games and really raise awareness about the program that we have for Gainesville Reads. It's just a lot of fun and a great way to connect. For us, it does not feel like work at all.”
History center staff will read a wide variety of kid-friendly, historical books, such as stories from the American Girl doll book series and even some Spanish stories.
“A lot of our students come from Spanish-speaking households, and that's something that I feel is really important to note,” Beaucham said. “Our wonderful program managers Diana Mancilla and Ruth Moreno have been fantastic at managing and leading this program. They're both Latina and they speak Spanish and English fluently. So we wanted to really showcase that as well on the telethon, especially because Hall County in Gainesville has such a high population of Spanish-speaking families.”
The Northeast Georgia History Center also scored some very special guests for this event. Girl Scouts founder Juliette Gordon Low will lead a storytime, in addition to two costumed guests. Beloved fictional children’s book character Amelia Bedilia will make an appearance, and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin will step through time to lead a storytime.
Viewers will have opportunities to donate to the telethon, and Beaucham is hoping to raise $5,000 to continue Gainesville Reads.
“It's a pretty penny, but it's absolutely worth it when we see the progress of our kids that are here and the feedback we get from parents,” Beaucham said.
Beaucham also reflected on Sandra Deal’s legacy, which motivates her to keep Gainesville Reads going strong.
“And now, especially as I'm going through the comments that we've received from parents, the progress that students are making it… I reflect on her and I'm really inspired by her and Nathan. And that's something that we're definitely going to share during the telethon,” Beaucham said.
