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End Note

Each summer, two dozen Portland artists literally hit the bricks to promote literacy. As part of “Chalk It Up,” artists like Melissa Delzio (whose work is pictured above) create 30 x 40-inch chalk drawings with reading themes—using downtown Portland's Pioneer Square as their “studio.” The artwork, along with a book sale and raffle, raises money for Oregon Literacy’s tutoring, advocacy, and referral services. The annual event, attended by about 5,000 people, serves another important purpose: It draws attention to the fact that one in five adults in America reads at or below the fifth-grade level. For more information on Oregon Literacy, check out www.oregonliteracy.org.

Photo courtesy Ann Buenzli