DAPHNE, Ala. — The Eastern Shore Literacy Council will celebrate Literacy Awareness Week Oct. 4-11 in Daphne.

“We want to get the information out that we are a non-profit organization, and we are looking for tutors and people who can help,” said deLancey Erickson, the council’s director.

Mayor Fred Small made the proclamation at the Sept. 20 city council meeting, and the Eastern Shore Literacy Council gave a few statistics about literacy.

According to the National Institute for Literacy:

*More than 1 million children drop out of school annually at a cost of more than $240 billion in lost earnings.

*Around 70 percent of inmates cannot read above a fourth-grade level.

The council received a written proclamation from Small, Fairhope Mayor Tim Kant and Spanish Fort Mayor Joe Bonner.

“We focus on adult services and ESL, which helps people learn English as a second language,” Erickson said. “We provide tutors for the GED program in Daphne and Fairhope.”

The council will be at the Walmart and the Daphne Recreation Center Oct. 6 and at the Daphne Public Library Oct. 7 with displays and posters. They will have brochures that outline programs offered and requirements for tutors.

They also will have the book “A Child Becomes a Reader” available for free.

“The book offers proven ideas for parents for things their child needs to be doing to be successful readers,” Erickson said. “It focuses on kindergarten through third grade.”

Literacy Awareness Week outside Daphne are scheduled as follows:

*Fairhope Recreation Center, Oct. 4

*Fairhope Library and Thomas Health and Fitness, Oct. 5

*Fairhope Publix, Oct. 6

*Spanish Fort Bruno’s, Oct. 8

*Spanish Fort Books-A-Million, Oct. 9.