Springfield Sam's Club Awards Grant to Abraham Lincoln Institute for Literacy in America

SPRINGFIELD -- First Lady Lura Lynn Ryan today accepted a $1,000 grant from the Sam's Club store in Springfield to be used toward the Abraham Lincoln Institute for Literacy in America.

As part of the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum being built in Springfield, the Institute for Literacy aims to advance Lincoln's ideals by providing leadership in literacy. The Institute will work with existing literacy initiatives and promote the development of new strategies to improve youth and adult literacy rates in Illinois and the nation.

"Abraham Lincoln believed in a government that is truly ‘of the people, by the people, for the people.' Such a government depends upon universal literacy," said Mrs. Ryan. "In a democratic society every person should be literate, sharing the benefits and values of reading and writing. We commend Sam's Club for their commitment to literacy and to the legacy of Abraham Lincoln."

The Institute for Literacy will be located in the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in downtown Springfield. The library portion of the complex will be complete by late 2002, with the museum portion scheduled to open in 2004.

The grant is part of the "500 Club Celebration" being held January 31 - February 2 to mark the opening of the 500th Sam's Club nationwide. In connection with the celebration, each Sam's Club store was given $1,000 to spend on the literacy program of their choice.

At 500 clubs strong, Sam's Club is proud to be the largest domestic player in one of the most competitive and fastest growing areas in retail - the warehouse club industry. The Springfield store is committed to continue supporting the community and to provide small business owners and consumers in the Springfield area with great values, service and merchandise selections.