This July 23rd, I ask fellow residents to join me in voting to renew Berlin’s long-standing support for CVABE’s free education instruction for our neighbors. For many years, Berlin town residents have consistently committed $1,200 in town meeting appropriations to support the free Adult Basic Education and Literacy services provided to Berlin community members by Central Vermont Adult Basic Education (CVABE).

This past March, although CVABE had provided all of the required documentation in advance of the town’s submission deadline, the organization’s Special Appropriations request was inadvertently omitted from the Berlin Town Ballot. As a result, town residents were not able to act upon the CVABE appropriations request at that time.

To rectify this oversight, the Berlin Town Select Board has added CVABE appropriations request to the ballot for an upcoming vote on Tuesday, July 23rd, when the town will also be voting on zoning regulations.

As a fellow Berlin resident, and CVABE’s Executive Director, I assure you the Town of Berlin’s past allocations to the organization have always supported Berlin residents.

CVABE, a non-profit organization, helps an average of sixteen Berlin residents per year – teaching reading, writing, math, computer literacy skills, and/or English as another language. CVABE helps adult and young adult students who are working to achieve a high school credential and prepare for employment, college, and/or technical training. In addition to a small, highly qualified paid teaching staff, CVABE engages and supports community volunteers in providing services to Berlin residents.

For more than a decade, Berlin voters have granted CVABE’s $1,200 request, which represents a modest fraction of the organization’s cost of providing education services to people in our town. As a result of CVABE’s programming over the years, many residents in Berlin are now living more independently and have gained or improved employment. Many who are parents have been able to better support their children’s academics, reducing inter-generational illiteracy. Our whole community benefits from this service.

CVABE is most grateful for the Town of Berlin’s support.

Carol Shults-Perkins
Berlin