How I Found The READ Center

by Marlin Griffin

Hi. My name is Marlin Griffin. I would like to take a moment to tell you how I came to find out about The READ Center program.

I take a Bible study class two times a week to become a Sunday school teacher. My friend Jim is the one who teaches me about the Bible. He was looking online one day and found The READ Center program that helps people with reading problems and asked me if I would be interested in it. I said yes, so Jim gave me a phone number to call.

I went home and called The READ Center and talked to a nice lady named Chris Miller. We talked for a while, and she gave me a time to come take the reading skills test. When I was done with the test, she said she would call me back, and she did after a week or two. She asked me if I would like to come down to The READ Center and meet with the person who was going to be my tutor, and I said yes.

When I got to The READ Center, I met with a really nice person named Josie, and she introduced me to my tutor. That is how I met Autumn Bedwell. She and I are working out just fine together. I tell everybody about Autumn because she is a great person to be around. She is a really good person for my reading lessons. She helps me to understand different meanings of words so I can teach others and become a better person.

The READ Center program builds up your confidence to be a better person than you think you are, and you do not have to be ashamed to read around others. All my life, before The READ Center came into it, people told me I was dumb and couldn’t read well – but thanks to the program, I can read better now. I thank The READ Center for letting me be a part of this.

Author’s Note: My name is Marlin, and I was born in Pennsylvania in 1955, one of 17 children. My father was a farmer, and we lived off of the farm. My mother was a housewife. I was pushed through school. No one took the time to teach me to read or write, but when someone showed me how to do something, I could pick it up right away; I’m a “hands-on” learner. I lived in Pennsylvania from 1955 to 1992, working in a bakery from 1980 to 1992. I lost my job and couldn’t find another one because of my lack of skills, and I was told I was a person who would not go too far in life. The READ Center is helping me a lot, and I’m reading the Bible better. I found Autumn, who has really improved my self-esteem. She takes her time with me, and now I’m a teacher, too, teaching a Sunday school class. I want to thank all the staff at The READ Center because I am reading better now than I did a year ago, and I also feel better about myself as a person.