There is hardly any work being done throughout Scotland County that is more important and desperately needed as that being done at 213 McLaurin Ave. in Laurinburg.

It is there, for the past handful of decades, that youngsters, teenagers and adults alike have been getting tutored in everything from reading to spelling to math to … well, basic education skills.

It’s important and needed because our education system, no matter where you go, can’t be a one-size-fits-all system. And even with the many programs that public schools offer to bridge the gaps, there are still gaps far too wide to bridge for them.

That’s where the Scotland County Literacy Council comes in.

There is no debate that Scotland County — like many of North Carolina’s counties along its southern tier — is battling an illiteracy problem that dates back many years. We will emphasize that it is not the fault of the public education system. They do what they can with the resources they have, and it’s simply not enough to reach everyone.

Add to that the fact that rural counties like Scotland struggle with broadband access, which makes it difficult for children to get into online programs or, during the ongoing pandemic, even be able to participate in class each day.

And there are more reasons Scotland County’s educational system is challenged, economics among them.

But the Literacy Council — with such strong supporters like the Terry Sanford family, Dr. Bill Purcell, State Rep. Garland Pierce and others — has been an advocate of supplementing the education of those in need. For no charge.

All of that, however, requires an abundance of two things: money and volunteers.

Scotland County Literacy Council has an extremely limited amount of either.

If you read the story on Page 1A today by W. Curt Vincent about how the Literacy Council was the beneficiary of $25,000 being added to the state’s recent budget by Rep. Pierce, you will see how those dollars might keep the Literacy Council afloat for six months. Barely.

We applaud Rep. Pierce for funneling $25,000 to such a worthy cause, and he says another $25,000 may be coming early in the year. But the fact remains that the local Literacy Council needs more — more dollars and more volunteers.

This holiday season is a good time to give to such an important local resource — either with money, time or both. Your generosity could make the difference in a child’s or adult’s life, giving them the opportunity to read, write, add, subtract and so much more.

There is hardly a better feeling than that.

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QUOTE OF THE DAY

“Elimination of illiteracy is as serious an issue to our history as the abolition of slavery.”