Article by Danielle Wheelan.

Save up your quarters because this Friday Pi Beta Phi will be offering students lemonade in support of Read > Lead > Achieve, their national campaign to end illiteracy, for a sweet deal of 75 cents.

According to their national website, this program “inspires a lifelong love of reading that can unlock true potential creating a more literate and productive society.” This event is only one of many across the country celebrating National Literacy month, which if you haven’t guessed it, is the month of September.

Last year’s Lemonade for Literacy stand. Photo via Pi Beta Phi.

The website sadly states that one in four children grow up to be illiterate. However, Pi Beta Phi’s campaign has done their part to end illiteracy by already impacting over one million lives.

This will also be the first philanthropic event that the organization’s new freshman will participate in.

“I’m super excited about this event because not only do I get to support a great cause but I also get to bond with my new sisters,” said freshman member Lexie Brauer.

All proceeds of the event will go to the Read > Lead > Achieve fund and will be used to help combat illiteracy issues in both the Springfield community and throughout the country.

“A portion of the money we raise will come back into our community and help fund programs in organizations such as the Ozarks Literacy Council and Boyd Elementary,” said Madeline Clark, V.P. of Philanthropy for Drury’s Pi Beta Phi chapter.

Clark hopes to sell 200 cups of lemonade. If this goal accomplished, $150 will be raised for the philanthropy.

Lemonade will be sold for 75 cents. Photo via Pi Beta Phi.

She hopes that through raising money for this campaign, kids will be as positively affected by reading as she was.

“My mom is a teacher so I grew up reading. When I came here and starting working with Boyd Elementary, I realized that not everyone has that experience,” said Clark. Pi Beta Phi meets every Wednesday at the elementary to help young children learn to read.

She also noted that it’s such a difficult issue, because of how hard it can be to spot.

“Reading is a blind disability. You can’t tell that people can’t read just by looking at them.”

Clark explained that she has heard of people reaching adulthood without knowing how to read. That may seem like a historic tale, but sadly this situation still occurs in modern-America.

“It’s important to me because I think everyone deserves a chance to read and have a better chance at life,” said Clark.

The event will take place Friday, Sept. 15 from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the FSC, right outside the commons. Don’t miss out on both a refreshing and sweet opportunity to support literacy.