The Dictionary Project: Elks Give the Gift of Words

By: Aneeta Brown The Elks Magazine
Tuesday, June 01, 2010
Donor: The Benevolent and Protective Order of Elks in the U.S.A.

Nancy Mjelde, an active member of the Coeur d`Alene, Idaho, Lodge, has received hundreds and hundreds of thank-you letters from children over the past five years. But they`re not from her grandchil­dren—she has none. They aren`t from nieces or nephews, either. In fact, with rare exceptions, Mjelde doesn`t personally know the children who write the letters. But they know Mjelde, and they have just one reason for contacting her—to say thank you for the dictionaries she and her lodge have given them as part of their participation in The Dictionary Project.

Founded in South Carolina in 1995, the Dictionary Project is a natio...

Ogle County Granges give dictionaries to third graders

By: - Gladys Fossler
Friday, May 14, 2010
Donor: Ogle Co. Pomona Grange, Milledgeville Grange, Buffalo Grange

Each year as one of their community service projects, members of Buffalo Grange have presented dictionaries to the third grade class at Centennial School, Polo.

This is a national community service project sponsored by The Dictionary Project and the National Grange.

According to The Dictionary Project, `A dictionary is perhaps the first and most powerful reference tool that a child should own. Its usefulness goes beyond the spellings, pronunciations, and definitions it lists. A strong vocabulary is important for gaining knowledge because this is the only way people have of sharing their ideas and thoughts.`

The Grange...

CeaseFire Illinois teams up with The Dictionary Project to reach students

By: Tio Hardiman e-mail
Friday, May 14, 2010
Donor: The Dictionary Project, CeaseFire Illinois The Chicago Project for Violence Prevention

CeaseFire Illinois, the Chicago Project for Violence Prevention, and its community partners have been visiting schools to deliver copies of A Student`s Dictionary & Animal Gazetteer donated by The Dictionary Project to students in the Chicago area.

Galesburg Elks Lodge pleases the Community School District with dictionaries

By: Alphonse Urena letter
Tuesday, October 20, 2009
Donor: Galesburg Elks Lodge # 894

Dear Mrs. French:

On Wednesday September 30, I, PDDGER Alphonse H. Urena, Member Connie L. Leath and Esteemed Loyal Knight Jim Peacock went to six elementary schools in Galesburg Community School District # 205. We visited the following schools: Cook Elementary School, Gale Elementary School, King Elementary School, Nielson Elementary School, Silas Willard Elementary School, and Steele Elementary School.

We gave a dictionary to each third grade student and the class teacher and the teacher`s aide. Plus we gave each school library six dictionaries for their use. Thank you very much for your support. We are looking forward to ...

Pocket full of dictionaries
Rotary Club of Galena promotes literacy by handing out dictionaries to third grade students
By: Dwight Bischel The Gazette
Wednesday, July 01, 2009
Donor: Rotary Club of Galena

As we celebrate the Galena Rotary Club`s 25th anniversary, we are also celebrating the seventh year of its ongoing literacy project of presenting personalized pocket dictionaries to all Jo Daviess County third grade students.

Since 2003, nearly 1,800 pocket dictionaries have been given to help students hone their communications skills and start them on their way to becoming the brightest and best-educated young men and women in the state.

Rotary has been deeply committed to improving the future of young people since its inception 104 years ago and has place literacy as one of its top priorities for world service emphasis. In ...

The definition of generosity
Theodore Utchen has given 10,000 dictionaries, plus instructions, to area 3rd graders
By: Diane Rado The Chicago Tribune
Wednesday, May 06, 2009
Donor: Theodore Utchen

He`s been Theodore, Ted and Teddy, depending on the time and circumstances in his life.

But in Wheaton and Glen Ellyn schools, Theodore Utchen is known as `Dictionary Man,` the bespectacled, nattily dressed gentleman who visits 3rd-grade classrooms bearing an unusual gift: a paperback dictionary for every child.

Nowadays, online dictionaries and computer spell checkers abound, and texting and Twittering have ushered in a new world of abbreviated spelling that makes English teachers cringe.

But Utchen, a semi-retired attorney from Wheaton, has managed to captivate the Xbox generation with an old-fashioned learning tool.Click to read full story ...

St. Clair Valley students receive gifts from Rotary Club

By: Hassan Nurie e-mail communication
Friday, April 17, 2009
Donor: St. Clair Valley Rotary Club

We delivered dictionaries to 3rd grade students at six local elementary schools: Cahokia School of Choice, Lalumier Elementary School, Huffman Elementary School, Maplewood Elementary School, E. Morris Elementary School, and Penniman Elementary School.

Our club really enjoyed giving the gift of words to the children and would like to thank you for the positive work your organization does as well as for this opportunity.
...

Dictionaries give students the definition of learning

By: Cynthia M. Ellis The Telegraph
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Donor: Wood River Rotary Club

WOOD RIVER - Elementary students were at no loss for words on Wednesday.

The Wood River Rotary Club gave copies of Webster dictionaries to every third-grader in the Wood River-Hartford School District.

`We passed out 78 dictionaries,` said Dr. David Ayres, Wood River Rotarian and assistant governor for Area 10 of Rotary International District 6460.

Rotarians also gave the learning instruments to third-grade students in the Roxana School District.

Other volunteers to help pass out the books included Scott Levan, Frank Akers, Nick Darr, Max Emery, Martha Billiter, Dick Bell and Pat Devening.

According to...

Rotary's global mission carried out right here at home

By: Denise Moran The Courier News
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Donor: Huntley Rotary Club

The Huntley Rotary Club`s belief in `Service Above Self` has led its members to help people locally and internationally.

Huntley Rotary is part of Rotary International, the oldest service club in the world, with more than 31,000 Rotary clubs in more than 160 countries.

`PolioPlus is the big fundraiser this year for Rotary International,` said Pat Jagman, president of Huntley Rotary. `We would like to eradicate polio throughout the world.`

Rotary International stated that `because there is no cure for polio, the best protection is prevention. For as little as 60 cents worth of vaccine, a child can be protected against ...

Manteno News

By: - The Manteno News
Thursday, September 04, 2008
Donor: Manteno Rotary Club and Manteno Education Foundation

The Manteno Rotary Club, Indian Oaks Academy, and the Manteno Education Foundation provided funds to sponsor dictionaries for all third-grade students at the Manteno Elementary School.  The dictionaries were recently distributed to the students by several Manteno Rotarians.

Best Dictionary

By: - The Herald
Tuesday, September 02, 2008
Donor: Manteno Rotary Club and Manteno Educational Foundation

Third-grade students at Manteno Elementary School all received their very own Best Dictionary for Students on Thursday, Aug. 28, 2008.  The Manteno Rotary Club, Indian Oaks Academy and the Manteno Educational Foundation provided the funds to sponsor the dictionaries for nearly 170 students. 

AT&T Midstate TelecomPioneers distribute dictionaries

By: - newspaper
Monday, April 14, 2008
Donor: AT&T Midstate TelecomPioneers

AT&T Pioneers, a nationwide group of current and former employees at AT&T, has donated a student dictionary to each third-grade student in the Auburn and Divernon elementary schools.  The Pioneers group volunteers its time and energy toward community efforts, with a primary focus on education.  The students will use their dictionaries throughout the school year and will be able to keep them at the end of the year.

a t & t Telecom/Pioneers Indian Trail Life Member Club distributes dictionaries at Crete Elementary School

By: Lawrence R. Sanders Pioneer Life Member Club
Thursday, April 03, 2008
Donor: a t & t Telecom/Pioneers Indian Trail Life Memer Club

On April 29, 2008, Lawrence Sanders, Indian Trails Life Member AT & T Telecom Pioneer Club retired member, presented 85 Third Graders at Crete, IL Elementary School with Dictionaries. As school began the third graders were called to the Library to receive the dictionaries.  Mr. Sanders spoke to the students about the book and explained about Telecom Pioneers.  The school librarian, also a retired Telecom Pioneer, discussed the contents of the books and demonstrated how to use them.

Emerson students thank Ted Utchen for their new dictionaries

Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Donor: Mr. Theodore Utchen

Mr. Ted Utchen sponsors dictionaries for students in three school districts outside Chicago.  He delivers all of the books personally to the children and talks with them about the importance of reading and spelling.

Rotarians distribute dictionaries

By: - newspaper
Friday, February 01, 2008
Donor: Rotary Club of Moweaqua

On January 31st, Rotarians Howard Stombaugh and Ethel Austin distributed dictionaries to the third-grade classes in Moweaqua.  The dictionaries were from the Moweaqua Rotary Club.

Letter from Harold in Peoria, IL

Thursday, January 24, 2008
Donor: Harold L. Dowell

Gracious letter from sponsor and thank you notes from children

Grange helps Forrestville Valley students 'look it up'

By: - newspaper
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
Donor: Leaf River Grange

Members of the Leaf River Grange recently presented dictionaries to third-grade students in German Valley and Forrestville Valley Schools.

Students receive dictionaries

By: Polo Beat Tri-County Press
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Donor: Buffalo Grange #1891

Each year as one of their community service projects, members of Buffalo Grange have presented dictionaries to the third-grade class at Centennial School. This is a national community service project sponsored by The Dictionary Project and the National Grange.

According to The Dictionary Project, `A dictionary is perhaps the first and most powerful reference tool that a child should own. Its usefulness goes beyond the spellings, pronunciations and definitions it lists. It is also a companion for solving problems that arise as a child develops his or her reading, writing and creative thinking abilities.`

The Grange, a natio...

Pictures of dictionary presentations

Friday, December 07, 2007
Donor: Bluff Grange # 1826

Rotary Donates Dictionaries

By: - McDonaugh Democrat
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Donor: Rotary Club of Bushnell

Representatives from the Bushnell Rotary donated dictionaries to all Bushnell-Prairie City Elementary third graders on October 30, 2007.  Each dictionary was inscribed with each third grader`s name.  B-PC Elementary third grade students eagerly accepted the dictionaries and promised to put them to good use in the coming years.  The dictionary project is just one of the many ways the Bushnell Rotary supports education in the Bushnell-Prairie City School District.

Third graders receive dictionaries

By: - Argus-Sentinel
Thursday, November 01, 2007
Donor: Rotary Club of Bushnell

The Avon third graders received a surprise at the end of lunch on Wednesday, October 17, 2007. Art McEwen, President of the Bushnell Rotary Club, and Mitchell Elting, President of the Avon Interact Club presented them with a paperback student dictionary. Each dictionary had a personalized nameplate.

This is the second year for the Bushnell Rotary Club to give dictionaries to students in the third grade. Funds for this literacy project come from the various club fundraising projects. Members of the Interact Club assisted by placing the nameplates in the dictionaries. Third graders in Bushnell will receive their dictionaries at a ...

National Dictionary Day celebrated

By: - newspaper
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Donor: Milledgeville Grange #1883

Third graders in the Chadwick/Milledgeville School District were presented with their own dictionaries on Oct. 16.  In celebration of Noah Webster`s birthday on that day, and in partnership with the national Dictionary Project, Millegeville Grange #1883 members provided the dictionaries and made the presentations.  The goal of this program is to assist all third-grade students to complete the school year as good writers, active readers and creative thinkers.

Des Plaines Elks present dictionaries and bookmarks

Wednesday, August 01, 2007
Donor: Des Plaines Elks Lodge #1526

The Des Plaines Elks Lodge #1526 undertook the Dictionary Project. With donations from our members and from the lodge, we were able to sponsor 456 dictionaries. The dictionaries where given to 3 rd graders in 8 different schools in the areas covered by the Lodge. The 3 rd graders were in schools located in Des Plaines, Elk Grove Village, Mt. Prospect , and Arlington Heights . Each dictionary had a label placed in it with our Lodge Name and Number and a space for the kids to write their names in the dictionaries. Along with the dictionaries each child received one of the new Drug Awareness bookmarks. The new bookmarks feature the Fa...

Waltham Grange adds schools to project

Thursday, June 21, 2007
Donor: Waltham Grange #584

The Waltham Grange has donated dictionaries at Waltham Elementary School in the past, but this year were able to add Wallace and Rutland Elementary Schools as well.

Meet Ted Utchen

By: Judy Buchenot The Wheaton/Glen Ellyn Glancer
Friday, June 01, 2007
Donor: Ted Utchen

All third graders in District 200 can look up the word `generous` thanks to retired Wheaton resident Ted Utchen. For the past five years, Utchen has given every third grader a manageably sized, soft cover dictionary which includes maps, tables and other educational information.



Utchen began handing out the dictionaries in 2003 after reading a Wall Street Journal story about Mary French and The Dictionary Project. French founded the non-profit organization, which gives children dictionaries, in 1996. Sponsors can obtain dictionaries through the organization at a reduced cost to give to children in the commun...

Rotary Club partners with school to initiate Dictionary Project

By: Donna Rowe
Monday, April 23, 2007
Donor: Henry-Senachwine School Board and Henry Rotary Club

The Dictionary Project was initiated in the fall of 2006 by the Henry, Illinois Rotary Club in conjunction with Henry-Senachwine Grade School in Henry, Illinois. The Rotary Club provided the funding to the Henry-Senachwine School District for the dictionaries for all the third and fourth graders in the school. Mrs. Nelson, building principal, and two third grade teachers made the final dictionary selection.

The dictionary chosen was `Webster`s Dictionary for Students--Special Encyclopedic Edition.` As mentioned above, each student in third and fourth grade received his or her own dictionary, a total of 81 students.
...

Mt. Vernon West Rotary Club undertakes county-wide project

By: Jim Flagg, Public Relations Chair
Thursday, February 22, 2007
Donor: Rotary Club of Mt. Vernon West

The school in the photos is in Bluford, IL, which is near Mt. Vernon. We have made one other delivery and are scheduling deliveries to all 550 3rd grade students in our county. Although this project has complete club support the main sponsors are Jamie Danner, Alan Wiggers, Cheryl Brown, Dick Keegan and Clete Winkleman Our club has received nothing but praise from the students and teachers about this educational effort.

Thanks for allowing our club to participate in this program. ...

Rotary aims to boost literacy through dictionary project
ALTON - A Rotary Club project to promote literacy is going by the book in the Alton School District.
By: NICK LUCCHESI The Telegraph
Wednesday, December 06, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary

The book is the dictionary.
More than 1,000 dictionaries were distributed to Alton fourth-graders Thursday after a lesson in community service.
`It gives (students) something to take home and to take pride in ownership of books,` said Jeannine Kelly, president of the Rotary, which had 17 of its members travel to Alton elementary schools in the first year for the donation.
The $1 dictionaries, edited for young learners, are titled `The Best Dictionary For Students,` ninth edition. The Rotary got the idea from the Jerseyville Rotary, which initiated the dictionary donation last year.
Tom Turpin, district director for the T...

Somonauk Education Foundation Picture

Monday, November 20, 2006
Donor: Somonauk Education Foundation

Children Recieve Dictionaries at Annual Midwest Literary Festival

Monday, October 23, 2006
Donor: Attorney C. David Ward

The First Bank of Winchester and Murraville Give Dictionaries

Thursday, October 05, 2006
Donor: The First Bank of Winchester and Murraville

We presented 3rd, 4th, 5th and 6th grade students at Murrayville-Woodsan Elementary and Winchester Elementary schools with dictionaries. We have had a lot of positive feedback from teachers and students alike. The students like the extra information about presidents, countries, maps, sign language, etc. that is included in ^-the back of the dictionaries.

Rotary donates dictionaries to 3rd graders

Monday, October 02, 2006
Donor: Mt. Carmel Rotary Club

Floral Grange Dictionary Project

By: Laurel Ratcliffe letter
Thursday, May 18, 2006
Donor: Floral Grange

The reception we received at both shcools was very warm and welcoming. We dleivered 72 dictioanries to the third graders at West Chicgo Gary School. The principal there could not believe there was no charge or gimmick involved and the teachers and students were delighted to receive them as their very own.

We also delivered 192 dictionaries to the third graders at the Kingston Elementary School of the Genoa-Kingston School District. The principal there as familar with the dictionary project since she was a former principal in South Carolina. She was surprised that your project reached to Illinois but was thankful. The children the...

Moline Rotary gives dictionaries to third-graders

By: Robin J. Youngblood, ryoungblood@qconline.com The Dispatch
Thursday, April 13, 2006
Donor: Moline Rotary Club

These aren`t your parents` dictionaries.

In the back of new dictionaries that 590 Moline third-graders are receiving this week courtesy of the Moline Rotary Club, are state facts, a list of presidents, sign language charts, planets, Roman numerals, the metric system and many other references.

This was the first dictionary for most of the 8- and 9-year-olds.

Washington Elementary School third-grade teacher Michele Tague said her students use the dictionary daily for classroom activities since vocabulary development is important in the third grade. The dictionaries help students identify whether words a...

New Books, New Bookworms

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Thanks to the Jerseyville Rotary Club, every third and fifth grader in Jersey Community Unit School District 100 received a brand new dictionary this week. Over 400 students received the books as part of the Rotary Club`s annual literacy project, one of the many service projects the club performs every year in our community. Pictured poring over their new dictionaries are third graders from West Elementary School.

Rotary Literacy Program

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Jerseyville Rotary Club member Gene Lee talks to students in Mrs. Pickel`s class at East Elementary School after passing out student dictionaries to them. The local Rotary, through a grant from the Rotary Foundation, received funds to purchase dictionaries for each student in the third and fifth grades. Rotarians delivered the dictionaries Monday.

New Dictionaries

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Students in Mrs. Hargrave`s 5th grade class at Grafton Elementary School show off their new dictionaries presented to the Monday by members of the Jerseyville Rotary Club. The dictionary distribution, to third and fifth graders, was part of a grant received by the local club for their Rotary Literacy Program.

Rotary Project

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Members of the Jerseyville Rotary Club, from the left, Susan Isringhausen, Wayne Schafer, Sue Landon, Charlie Huebener and Gene Lee, box up dictionaries to be taken to area elementary schools. The Jerseyville Rotary Club Literacy Program was funded through the Rotary Foundation and allowed the local club to supply dictionaries for each third and fifth grader in the public schools.

Interesting Book

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Ben, a fifth grader in Mrs. Hargrave`s class at Grafton Elementary School looks over his new dictionary which was presented to him and the rest of his class Monday by the Jerseyville Rotary Club. As part of the Rotary Literacy Program, the local club provided dictionaries to all students in the third and fifth grades at the public schools.

New Dictionary

Thursday, February 02, 2006
Donor: Jerseyville Rotary Club

Grafton Elementary School third grader Colten looks over his new dictionary presented to him by members of the Jerseyville Rotary Club Monday. The local club received a grant from the Rotary Foundation for their Literacy program. All fifth and third graders in the public schools received a dictionary.

Bringing the books

Monday, December 19, 2005
Donor: Leaf River Grange

Based on the philosophy that `a dictionary is a fundamental learning tool to be used throughout life,` members of the Leaf River Grange recently presented third-grade students in German Valley , Forreston and Oregon schools with copies of the `New Encyclopedic Edition Dictionary.`

ABOVE: Grange members Dwayne Zipse, left in back row, and Wendell Poppin with the third-grade class at German Valley . Zipse and Poppin also presented the books at Forreston.
LEFT: Tom Snodgrass, at left, Zipse and Loren Kappenman (missing from photo) distributed dictionaries to third-gr...

Polo third graders receive dictionaries

Monday, November 28, 2005
Donor: Buffalo Grange

POLO - On Monday, Nov. 7, Buffalo Grange No. 1891 presented 52 third graders at the Polo Centen­ nial School with a new McGraw-Hill Dictionary.

Third grade teachers Nancy Adams, Keisi Jones and Ann Dubois helped dis­ tribute the dictionaries to the students. This is the third year Granges in Ogle County have participated in this project.

The Dictionary project is a nonprofit organization. The project was started a

few years ago by Mary French a member of the Dictionary Society of North America.

About 1,128,579 dictio­ narie...

Third grade student receive dictionaries from Leaf River Grange

Monday, November 14, 2005
Donor: Leaf River Grange

GERMAN VALLEY-­ Increasing vocabulary awareness is an important facet of reading develop­ment. Recently, the Leaf River Grange, represented by Dwayne Zipse and Wendell Poppen, presented German Valley Grade School third grade students with their own personalized dictionaries. According to Mr. Zipse, the Leaf River Grange is a service organi­zation that supports various projects within the commu nity. We are very thankful to Leaf River Grange for their support of early lit­ eracy and our educational program. Together we will inspire our students to en­gage in learning a...

New Dictionary

Thursday, November 10, 2005
Donor: Leaf River Grange

A third grade student at Forreston Grade School receives a dictionary Wednesday, Nov. 9 from Dwayn Zipse, a memeber of the Leaf River Grange.

Dictionaries!

Thursday, November 10, 2005
Donor: Leaf River Grange

Krista Carlson`s third grade class at German Valley Grade School received new dictionaries from the Leaf River Grange Wednesday, Nov. 2. The grange also donated books at Forreston Grade School Wednesday, Nov. 9. The grange also donates dictionaries to schools in Oregon , Polo and Milledgeville. This is the fifth year the grange has donated dictionaries to third grade students. The idea started when the national organization came up with the idea and made it possible for local granges to buy dictionaries in cheap.
...

Polo third graders receive dictionaries

Monday, February 28, 2005
Donor: Buffalo Grange No. 1891

POLO—Buffalo Grange No. 1891 recently presented every third grade student of the Polo Centennial School with a `New Revised Edi­tion` McGraw-Hill dictio­ nary through The Dictionary Project.

The Dictionary Project is the brainchild of a former school board secretary, Mary French, who operates it from Charleston, S.C. Eager to get dictionaries into the hands of as many students as possible, French obtains low prices for the books from publishers — $ 1 to $2 each - and civic organi­ zations buy and distribute in their communities. This is a national project of the Gr...

Broadhollow Grange delivers dictionaries to third-grade classes.

Monday, February 21, 2005
Donor: Broadhollow Grange #1806

Wurdz too liv bi

By: TAMMIE SLOUP - Staff Writer The Daily Times/DOUG LARSON
Saturday, January 01, 2005
Donor: Ted Utchen - The Dictionary Man

Local resident donates dictionaries to third-graders

Ted Utchen, a Wheaton attorney and longtime Wheaton resident known as `the dictionary man,` has hand-delivered more than 1,000 dictionaries, one to every third-grader in Wheaton Community Unit School District 200 schools. He has pledged to do the same thing for years to come.

`Every year, from now on, I will look forward to doing this,` he said. `Once you start a project like this, you must keep it up for the kids.`

When he read a Wall Street Journal article in 2002 about a dictionary program being done by Mary French, a `dictionary lady` in Sou...

Jefferson Elementary School

Friday, September 05, 2003
Donor: Rotary Club

Spreading the word

Wednesday, January 01, 2003
Donor: Rotary Club

Galena Rotary Club provides dictionaries to Galena 3rd grades

GALENA —Dwight Bischel recently delivered 64 dictionaries to the 3 rd grade students at Galena Primary School . A couple of weeks earlier, Bischel had delivered 10 dictionaries to all 3 rd graders at Tri-State Christian School in Galena . That means all 3 rd grade students in Galena now have their own dictionaries.

Each 3rd-grade teacher also received one of the books, as did some school administrators. To date, Bischel has handed out 80 dictionaries throughout Galena .

The idea

It all started with an ...

Rotary project spreads the word(s)
Ottawa third graders receive dictionaries
Thursday, September 19, 2002
Donor: Ottawa Noon Rotary Club

Third-graders in Ottawa this week will be the first in Illinois to take home their own dictionaries distributed through a nationwide Dictionary Project.

The books were brought to local students by the Ottawa Noon Rotary Club, which put up about $500 of its own money to purchase 300 dictionaries.

Rotary Treasurer Bill Franklin said he learned about the program through a newspaper article, and immediately brought the idea to fellow Rotary Club members.

It was a personal realization that prompted Franklin to initiate the program locally.

`I realized I can`t spell,` Franklin said while pushin...