Rebecca Becky Seigel retired from a career in health care sales in summer 2017 and started searching for a way to give back.
She read about RSVP Reading Buddies, a program from the Council of Churches of the Ozarks that pairs individuals age 55 or older with students in kindergarten through third grade who are not reading at grade level or are at risk of falling behind.
Volunteers spend 30 minutes a week during the school day working directly with a child, who typically does not qualify for other reading intervention services.
The goal is to ignite the love of reading, provide a positive adult mentor and encourage struggling readers.