LIMA, Ohio (WLIO) - 30 purses in 30 days is the new format for the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council's purse lottery in raising funds to improve literacy in Lima/Allen County and the region.
The lottery is one of the literacy council's two yearly fundraisers. The council was founded in 1987 to assist those who are finding it difficult to get ahead because of a low literacy level. Volunteer tutors through the council provide one on one training for adults in reading, writing, math, computer skills, English as a second language, and citizenship preparation.
All of these services are free of charge thanks to funding from the United Way, grants, donations, and fundraisers.
"Nationwide, there are a tremendous number of people that read, write, or do mathematics at a third grade level or below, and when you take those results and put them in the local community, it's estimated that in Allen County we have approximately 12,000 people that are in that category," said Darrell Ball, executive director of the Northwest Ohio Literacy Council. "In the city of Lima alone, it's almost 4,000 folks that do not have a high school diploma or high school equivalency."
Tickets are now available for the purse lottery and only 1,000 will be sold at $30 each. If your 3-digit ticket number matches the Ohio Lottery's evening Pick Three drawing between September 1st through September 30th, you will win the purse designated to that date.
The highlight of the lottery will be a Mario Valentino purse up on September 15th. Tickets are available at the literacy office or online at their website. September is National Literacy Month.
