Nottoway County Literacy Program

09/03/2026

An amazing story about the letter writing website, Love for Our Elders.

The world needs more people like Kelly Clarkson. 💜💌

As The Kelly Clarkson Show comes to an end after seven beautiful seasons, I keep thinking about what it meant to have our story shared with her audience.

I had been watching Kelly for years, even sitting in her virtual audience during the pandemic. So to go from watching her through a screen to sitting across from her, sharing why I believe no elder should ever feel forgotten, was surreal.

But what I’ll remember most isn’t the cameras or the studio. It’s Kelly telling me that our story made her cry, sharing her own childhood memories of volunteering with church elders, and looking at what we had built and spending more than a minute convincing the cameras that there has to be a Hallmark movie in this story. (It didn’t make the final cut, but it’s still one of my favorite moments from that day.)

She and her show’s team didn’t just see a nonprofit. They saw the people behind it. They activated their audience to write letters for us before the show, surprised us with a generous donation, and flew out our longtime volunteer Angela to meet me in person for the first time and share the impact of our letters.

And when her grandma Olive passed away right after filming, her team added a thoughtful tribute to the end of the segment. It was such a small thing, but it said so much about their character.

Kelly, Laura, Juliana, Olivia, and everyone who made that day possible: thank you. That episode changed the trajectory of Love For Our Elders. It brought new volunteers, new supporters, and new people into this movement. Its ripple effects are still reaching elders today.

The show may be ending, but the love you helped put into the world will keep going far beyond seven seasons. What a legacy of love. 📫

09/03/2026

Don't let anybody tell you otherwise...but the hand written note still matters. Unlike a text, or email, the commitment of putting pen to paper, expressing thoughts and feelings, good wishes and thanks, congratulations and blessings, in a note or letter carries weight. It is something that cannot be simply swiped away or scrolled over to be forgotten. It is something you can hold in your hand and saved and reread.

The act of writing a letter is not only meaningful to the receiver, it benefits the writer. It engages the part of the brain responsible for language, memory and motor skills. And it requires more complex neural coordination than typing. So it promotes brain health.

Our elderly truly benefit from receiving and sending letters. This article describes how beneficial it is for those in assisted living, or for those living in isolation.
https://www.weatherlyinn.com/resource/the-joy-of-letter-writing-why-handwritten-notes-still-matter/

So what can you do? Encourage your children to start sending little notes to grandparents. Reconnect with old friends who live far away and become pen pals. Still need an idea? Here is a website that promotes letter writing campaigns to select elders whose names are submitted by loved ones.
https://loveforourelders.org/

On a personal note, I have a mom soon to turn 90 who lives alone and needed more social connection and on a whim last year, I submitted her name and bio to that website. The site chose her bio as one of the elders for the month of August-last month. We are still receiving letters for her and so far they total well over 300 letters from all over the country and even 4 from Canada! So many people have so much compassion in their hearts. I am bringing these letters to her this weekend when I visit her. This will be so meaningful to her, and knowing her, I know she will want to answer at least a few of these kind notes, postcards and letters. Because she never fails to send cards to her family, friends and grandkids and great grandkids for their birthdays. I will post later her reaction, so stay tuned. And pick up pen and paper yourselves and see what connections you can make.
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director

09/02/2026

So you want to get back to reading regularly, but where to begin? How can you decide which title to read next? I find recommendations to be very handy, especially if the person making the recommendation explains why they loved the book. What drew them in? What did they learn? Did it change their way of thinking in some way? Did they see themselves in the characters? Forbes Magazine asked 50 successful people what books they would recommend and why. And the collection of books offered are interesting, eclectic and inspiring. See if you agree and see if any of the titles are now on your list of must reads.
https://tinyurl.com/565yc6cj

PS. Come by the Crewe Library, and see a collection of books recommended by the library staff and see if you can guess which staff member suggested which book. (There is a form where you can make your guesses.)

And my recommendation? I am a fan of historical novels, because they are like windows into the past in how people lived and found love and survived. One favorite is The Kitchen House, by Kathleen Grissom, a Virginia author. This novel takes place in 1791 on a Virginia plantation about a 7 year old orphaned Irish girl, an indentured servant, who is put under the care of Belle, a mixed race kitchen servant. The story is about how love forms families and how traditions can provide stability or they can harness us into predetermined roles, if we let them. Let me know what you are reading now and your favorite book(s) and why.

09/02/2026

Hi Everyone. Here is another post celebrating National Literacy Month. Have you ever stopped to consider that there are health benefits to developing a reading habit? Relaxing with a good book at the end of your stressful day can lower your cortisol level. Reading a book during your lunch break can slow your heart rate and help with digestion. And reading before bed, instead of watching TV or scrolling your screens, can help you fall asleep faster and improve your overall heart health.

It goes without saying...but I will say it anyway...your local library is a wonderful source of books that can supply your reading habit. You can check out physical books, but also digital books for free, with just a library card. So stop by and pick up a mystery, or historic novel and be transported away to other places and eras while improving your health at the same time.
https://www.henryford.com/blog/2025/02/the-heart-healthy-benefits-of-reading #
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director

09/01/2026

Developing the love and habit of daily reading begins with the family. Reading opens up whole worlds and possibilities that can excite and would not exist otherwise. And not only parents, but grandparents, aunts and uncles, teachers, even neighbors can bring the neighborhood kiddos together for a fun activity.

It might start with creating a space where cozy reading can take place. Maybe a visit to the library to "travel the world". Pick a country at random and find books about that country, or a story that takes place in that country. Instead of "movie night", read a book together from which a favorite movie was made. An example would be "The Hobbit", "The Princess Bride", "The Wonderful Wizard of Oz", "The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe".

Here is a great article with more ideas from San Diego Family dot com. See which ones appeal to you or share one of your own. Let's keep the conversation going all month. I will be sharing more information about literacy all month.
https://www.sandiegofamily.com/resources/education-directory/ways-to-support-reading-literacy-skills-for-kids
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director

08/31/2026

Identity Theft is on the rise. 1.4 million identity thefts were reported in 2025 and that is an increase of 26% over the number of thefts in 2024. And the data breaches at companies and organizations are also up. We need to be diligent in protecting our information. It does seem overwhelming, but this article from Kiplinger provides some actionable information.

The list of places you should say no to providing your social security number has some surprises. First on the list is job applications. Until you actually get the job, you do not need to provide it. And even Dentist Offices. (How is your dentist office protecting your information.) Airline ticketing and frequent flyer programs. And the article goes further in sharing additional strategies. Never send your SS number via email. And do not give it to anyone who initiates contact with you.

Take the time to read this article about how you can monitor your credit, prevent thieves from using your number to apply for benefits, and other steps to take to protect your precious identity.
https://tinyurl.com/mup8pdja
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director

08/27/2026

It's that time of year folks! One of the best perks of living in Crewe! A chance to clean up your yard and purge your home of some of the stuff taking up space you do not need. And you don't have to take it to the dump!

Mark your calendars for this year's Fall Cleanup!

Items must be put out by Monday, September 28 or they will not be picked up. Items will be picked up sometime between Monday and Thursday, as schedule permits.

08/27/2026

Slowing down as we age is the big driver for loss of explosive power. Explosive power is crucial for daily tasks such as standing, climbing stairs and the prevention of falls. Many are not familiar with training for explosive power as they are with aerobic workouts and basic strength training. But it is just as important for healthy aging and staying fit.

What is explosive power? Think fast controlled movements such as hitting a tennis ball, or quickly changing direction on a basketball court, or snatching a barbell overhead. Explosive power is used in everyday life as you hoist a filled laundry basket up off the floor, carry groceries up the stairs, even standing from a seated position as you lift a tray. It is also related to your ability to stabilize yourself when you lose your balance.

Here is a really informative article that provides instruction on how to train to improve explosive power and how it differs from strength training. Feel free to share your thoughts and experience with explosive power.
https://tinyurl.com/y9xdzd6y
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director

08/26/2026

As we mourn American icon Dolly Parton, we have to remember that behind all the glitz, was a human being who gave back so much to the world. In fact, it is estimated she gave more than 600 million dollars to charity. But she had a mission. One mission was to prevent illiteracy. Her father was amazing, he provided for his family of a wife and 12 children as a share cropper, though he could not read and write. Dolly saw how this hurt her father and was determined to do something about it. Dolly's Imagination Library provides books for those 5 and under, to help them get excited about reading. And what better way than to provide books of their very own. Read about this wonderful program which as inspired so many youngsters and their families to elevate reading in their lives.
https://www.latimes.com/entertainment-arts/story/2026-08-26/dolly-partons-contributions-to-literacy-will-outlive-star

https://imaginationlibrary.com/
-Kathy Oliver
NCLP Director