A former local principal may have to close the book on her free reading program if funding doesn’t come through soon.
Linda Soehner has about 40 students registered with Reading Rescue Ontario…children and adults suffering from dyslexia who are learning to read.
She says they require special one-on-one teaching that schools say they can’t provide because of budget restraints.
Soehner has been operating the daily classes from an office at Participation Lodge in Holland Centre after receiving a $10,000 Trillium Grant.
However because of expanding demand…Soehner has already run out of money for the free program.
She’s already poured more than $2,000 of her own money into the project to keep it afloat..but has recently learned that’s a ‘no no’ according to funding rules.
Soenher says she’ll either have to find some other source of funding to tide her over until the next Trillium grant or she’ll have to scale back the program considerably.
She’s hoping a corporate sponsor will come forward or perhaps service groups or even individuals who have also suffered from a learning disability.
Students come from across the region including Owen Sound, Hanover, Port Elgin, Kincardine and even Barrie.
