The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Connecticut hopes that you, your family and your friends will once again join us, at our October 14 dyslexia awareness walk, to raise program support funds and public awareness about this common learning disability known as Dyslexia. The Dyslexia Center’s staff over the past several years has worked tirelessly to provide the one on one instruction necessary for students in the program to be able to succeed in the business world and in life itself. Now, more than ever, you can directly affect the program’s success through various fundraising measures. Donations and annual contributions from people such as yourselves is what allows this program to continue providing the tools necessary to help these students overcome the difficulties they will face in everyday life. Many of us look for ways to make a difference in the lives of those who are truly in need and just knowing that your contribution no matter how large or small made a measurable difference in the lives of these children is fulfilling. If you ever knew someone who had or has a “Learning Disability”, then you also know the challenges they have faced or are still facing going forward, especially from their peers. If this someone is your child, then you understand.
Dyslexia is a special learning disability that is neurological in origin. It is characterized by difficulties with accurate and/or fluent word recognition and by poor spelling and decoding abilities.
These difficulties typically result from a deficit in the phonological component of language that is often unexpected in relation to other cognitive abilities and the provision of effective classroom instruction. Secondary consequences may include problems in reading comprehension and reduced reading experience that can impede growth of vocabulary and background knowledge.
The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Connecticut utilizes the Orton-Gillingham philosophy and approach in remediating the youngsters attending the Center. The Orton-Gillingham philosophy and approach is a phonetically based, sequential, structured approach that is extremely effective in the remediation in reading, spelling and writing of children with dyslexia. Sound-symbol associations are taught, employing all of the learning pathways- auditory, visual, kinesthetic and tactile. The system builds from simple to complex units of language
Dyslexia still affects some 15 to 20 percent of our population which includes more than 2 million school-aged children in the United States. Since 2002, the Waterbury Center has been providing free professional tutoring to children with dyslexia who have attended the program. On average, a child will require 2 years of professional tutoring at no cost to them or their family, valued at approximately $10,000 per student.
This year’s two-mile walk around the Town Plot area of Waterbury will be held, rain or shine, on Sunday, October 14, 2012 at 1:00 P.M. starting at the Masonic Temple at 531 Highland Avenue, Waterbury, CT 06708, next to the Children’s Dyslexia Center. There will be refreshments for all participants and their families following the walk. Registration begins at 12:00 Noon.
Once again please help us to make 2012 a spectacular year for our children and to keep our program going forward by walking with us on October 14 at 1:00 P.M… You can help this noble cause by forming a team, walking alone, purchasing a “Route Marker” or Tee Shirt advertisement or by collecting donations. I have enclosed a registration form. More registration forms are available at the Children’s Dyslexia Center. Call 203-465-0830 or Russ Griswold at 203-755-9179 and we will send them out to you.
Please make checks payable to “The CDC Dyslexia Walk” and forward them to The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Connecticut, 529 Highland Avenue, Waterbury, CT 06708. Donations should be earmarked for the “2012 Walk for Dyslexia Awareness” and are tax deductible.
If you need any further information, please do not hesitate to contact us at the Center by fax or phone number which is located at the top of this letter.
Thank you in advance for your support, caring attitude and past contributions. Children in this program, their families and all of us will continue benefiting from your generous sponsorship. Your involvement has and will continue to enable The Children’s Dyslexia Center of Connecticut to meet its mission of conquering Dyslexia, one step at a time, one child at a time.