Celebrating 40 Years: The Blue Gargoyle
Nearly 20 years ago, Bernadine Williams came to the Blue Gargoyle to brush up on her reading skills. It wasn’t long before she started volunteering there, and eventually she got a job in the nursery school. Today she is senior nursery teacher, a role she loves.
“I just have the heart for it. I got involved and I stayed with it,” says Williams, a mother of seven, with 25 grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren of her own.
“I love these children because I’ve always noticed that little people are overlooked. I look at them as precious future adults. Someone must reach out and help them.”
The children are in day care while their mothers attend Blue Gargoyle GED or literacy classes. Williams often notices the mothers need a bit of tender loving care, too.
“I’ve seen many go and many, many come, from all different walks of life,” she says. “Some of them are in pretty rough shape and need somebody they can trust to help them work it out. I encourage them to hold on and keep on coming. Just be patient with yourself and it will work out.”
Committed to Adult Literacy
A champion for people seeking a way out of poverty, the Blue Gargoyle, now located at 5638 South Woodlawn Avenue in Hyde Park, is celebrating its 40th year of serving South Siders who want to improve their reading and other basic educational skills.
Last May more than 200 guests attended the 40th anniversary gala. “It was a grand affair,” says Executive Director Pam Bozeman-Evans. “Our speakers included motivational speaker Mawi Asgedom and Illinois Secretary of State Jesse White.”
But as the celebration winds down, the reality of a national and global economic crisis looms: a crisis that brings both new business and added financial strain to the already challenged service organization, says Bozeman-Evans.
“When the economy takes a downturn, our participation and recruitment go through the roof. We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have government and foundation support, as well as individual donations. But even with these support streams we are woefully underfunded for the herculean task we undertake year-round.”
A Strong History of Helping Others
Over its history, the Blue Gargoyle has strengthened and refined its mission to the primary aim of adult literacy. Looking to the future, it intends to continue providing these services free of charge to those who need them.
“We have literally hundreds of alumni and hundreds of University of Chicago students, faculty, and staff who have worked with us. One of our goals is to find a way to reach out to them and thank them, and hopefully gain their support,” Bozeman-Evans says.
The Blue Gargoyle’s current programs include adult literacy training for 16-to-70-year-olds, including reading, writing, and math; a GED preparation program; and a family literacy program for children under five of the adult learners. In addition, a team of Federal Work/Study and volunteer students, primarily from the University of Chicago, works with 36 children ages 6 to 13.
“Every one of our programs tries to help families and individuals be self-reliant and advance themselves,” Bozeman-Evans says. “Most are looking for a new job, career advancement, and ultimately financial gain. We are seeing even more families struggling today the more the economy worsens.”
Looking Ahead
Zeus Preckwinkle, a longtime teacher at the Ancona School, has been a board member since 1981. He sees literacy programs like the Blue Gargoyle’s as essential to the larger educational infrastructure because they catch people who fall through the cracks.
“The number of people who are illiterate and in prison is staggering. It tells us about the problems that can arise from illiteracy,” he says. “Our whole country needs to focus more on improving education, especially for those who need a second chance.”
For more information or to volunteer, contact the Blue Gargoyle at 773/955-4108 or email adlit@bluegargoyle.org.
