On Saturday, area residents will have the opportunity to tour 11 homes and lend a helping hand to literacy efforts in Cattaraugus County.
The fifth annual Tour of Interesting Homes, sponsored by the Literacy Volunteers of Cattaraugus County, will take place this year in Ellicottville from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.
The event is a self-guided tour of 11 local homes, according to Renee Bizzaro, the LVCC executive director.
Article Photos
This home on Greer Hill in Ellicottville, owned by Claus and Gerry Fichte, will be part of the Tour of Interesting Homes. This home sports a G-scale model train that runs through its chimney.
Submitted photo
It will begin in the newly built Ellicottville Memorial Library, located at 6499 Maples Road. Registration will take place there between 10:30 a.m. and 2 p.m.
Ellicottville homeowners were invited to participate in the tour. Those who expressed interest were followed up with, Ms. Bizzaro said. She said the homes on the tour each boast an unusual or unique feature, whether it's an architectural detail or an intriguing landscape design.
Pre-sale tickets for the tour are available for $25 at the Olean Public Library, the Ellicottville Memorial Library and LVCC. On the day of the event, tickets may be purchased in the registration area at the Ellicottville Memorial Library for $30. Tickets can also be obtained by calling 372-8627 or sending an e-mail to olean1@aol.com.
All proceeds will benefit LVCC, which is an accredited affiliate of ProLiteracy America and Literacy New York and a member agency of United Way of Cattaraugus County.
Since 1969, LVCC has been providing free individualized tutoring to adults reading at the lowest literacy levels, pairing each learner with a trained literacy volunteer. About 16 percent of Cattaraugus County adults are functionally illiterate.
''These are people who cannot read the newspaper, write a check or read a book to their children,'' Ms. Bizzaro said. ''We offer adult literacy, family literacy and computer literacy programs. We also coordinate peer tutoring programs and participate in a multitude of collaborative efforts with area agencies.''
One such agency is the Cattaraugus County Department of Social Services. LVCC works with the department to expand its outreach to people throughout the county who need literacy assistance or who are in need of English as a Second Language instruction.
For more information, visit LVCC at its office located in the Olean Public Library. Hours are Monday through Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.