Brunner Literacy Center

10/12/2026

Join the Brunner Literacy Center for a Voter Education Lunch & Learn on Thursday, October 22! We’ll learn more about voting, how to access your ballot, and how to find your voting location.

📅 Thursday, October 22 | 12–1:30 PM
📍 Brunner Literacy Center, 1995 Shiloh Springs Rd., Dayton
🍽️ Lunch will be provided!

Come learn, ask questions, and get ready to make your voice heard! ❤️🤍💙

Please RSVP by October 20 by calling 937-567-9600 or emailing [email protected].

10/06/2026

Let Books Be. Protect the Freedom to Read.

It's Banned Books Week, a time to raise public awareness of attempts to censor books and to highlight the value of free, open access to information.

Books give us information. They introduce us to people and experiences different from our own. They help us ask questions, think critically, understand the world around us, and imagine what is possible.

Yet in 2025, more than 4,200 unique book titles were challenged in libraries and schools across the United States. It is a climate that should make all of us pause and think about what is at stake when information is censored.

This is why literacy matters.

Let books be. Let people read. And let everyone have the opportunity to read them.

Art by Loveis Wise

All images © American Library Association. Banned Books Week is ® American Library Association. Let Books Be is ©2026 American Library Association.

10/05/2026

Today is the last day to register to vote in Ohio.

At the BLC, we believe literacy is about more than reading and writing. It is about having the knowledge, confidence, and tools to fully participate in your community.
That includes civic literacy.
💙Knowing how to find reliable information.
💚Knowing your rights.
💙Knowing how decisions are made.
💚Knowing how to make your voice heard.

If you are eligible to vote and have not registered, today is the day to take that step.
Literacy is the key. Civic participation is one of the doors it unlocks.

Register, or check your registration through the Ohio Secretary of State - https://olvr.ohiosos.gov/

The site is secure. The https:// ensures you're connecting to the official website and any information you provide is encrypted and cannot be seen by anyone else.

10/04/2026

The wait is over… the BLC team photos are here! 📸

A few weeks ago, we gave you a little behind-the-scenes look at picture day. Now we can finally share the finished photos!

From the people behind the programs to the people keeping the numbers, schedules, students, tutors, dollars and everything in between moving forward, this is the team that makes the BLC happen every day.

We’re pretty proud of this crew. 💙💚

10/01/2026

Last night, we had the privilege of celebrating the people who make the work of the Brunner Literacy Center possible - our incredible donors and dedicated tutors.

It was an evening of delicious food, laughter, connection, and heartfelt appreciation. Our tutors had a chance to spend time with one another, share stories, and celebrate the relationships they’ve built with their students.

But some of the most meaningful moments came from hearing directly from our students and tutors. Their heartfelt words about what the BLC means to them reminded us that literacy is about so much more than reading and writing, it’s about relationships, confidence, opportunity, and the possibility of a brighter future.

To everyone who supports the BLC with your time, talent, and generosity, we thank you. You are helping create possibilities every day, one student and one relationship at a time.

We are so grateful for you! 💙💚

09/26/2026

🎶 What a way to make a livin’! 📚🩷

Yesterday was 9/25 - Dolly Day!
Members of the Brunner Literacy Center team spent the day doing something Dolly herself would surely approve of, putting books into the hands of our community!

In partnership with Preschool Promise, our team headed out around Dayton to:
🩷 Put books in children's hands
🩷 Support the community
🩷 Create opportunities for people to thrive

At the BLC, we know that access to books can open doors at every age. We loved getting to join our friends at Preschool Promise for a day celebrating something we both believe in, a community where everyone has the opportunity to read, learn and thrive. 📖🩷

09/22/2026

🌟 And the winner of SPELL WARS is… Bryan Ertsgaard! 🌟

The Force was strong with this one. ⚔️✨

Congratulations to Bryan Ertsgaard, Principal of Ruskin Elementary School, who emerged victorious in this year’s Spell Wars!

Once again, our community spellers brought the fun, the competition, and plenty of laughs. Representatives from schools and businesses across the community battled it out, one word at a time.

🏆 The champion of Spell Wars: Bryan Ertsgaard!
But the real victory? Together, our spellers, sponsors, and supporters raised funds to help Brunner Literacy Center provide no-cost, one-on-one instruction for our community members.

Thank you to all of our incredible spellers, sponsors, supporters, and spectators for making this year’s Spell Wars such a fun, and very funny night. The Force was definitely with us!

09/22/2026

✨ Congratulations, Myla! ✨

We are incredibly proud to celebrate our CEO, Myla Cardona-Jones, who has been named the recipient of the 2026 Jeanne Porter Career Achievement Award from Women in Business Networking (WiBN)!

This award recognizes a woman whose leadership and impact continue to make a difference in the business community and beyond, and we can think of no one more deserving of this recognition.

Through her leadership extends far beyond the walls of BLC. She leads with purpose, builds connections, champions others, and is deeply committed to making a difference in our community.

The award carries the name of Jeanne Porter, founder of WiBN, whose legacy of leadership and impact continues through the women this award celebrates.

Congratulations, Myla, on this well-deserved honor! We are so fortunate to have you leading the Brunner Literacy Center. 💙

09/19/2026

💙 Thank you, Kettering College! 💙

A huge thank you to the students and staff of Kettering College for choosing Brunner Literacy Center as part of their annual Service Day!

They rolled up their sleeves and made a BIG difference, cleaning up the outside of our Center and helping us sort and sticker hundreds of books!

We are so grateful for the time, energy, and care they gave to our Center. Community support like this helps us keep our spaces welcoming and our resources ready for the students we serve.

Thank you, Kettering College, for spending your Service Day with us and helping us make a difference. 💙

09/17/2026

⚔️🐝 SPELL WARS IS TONIGHT! 🐝⚔️

You don’t have to be a speller to join the fun! Come out tonight and watch some brave adults go head-to-head in the ultimate battle of words at Spell Wars, our adult spelling bee fundraiser for Brunner Literacy Center!

Expect big words, bigger laughs, and plenty of Star Wars-themed fun as our spellers battle it out for spelling supremacy. 🌟

And there’s more! Enjoy:
✨ Light refreshments
🎟️ Raffle baskets, including:
📚 A signed book basket
🌻 A garden basket
🐝 A Bee basket
🍷 A W**e & Dine Dayton basket

Come cheer on the spellers, try your luck in the raffle, and have a seriously fun night, all while supporting literacy in our community.

Tonight. The spelling force is strong. ⚔️🐝
May the words be with them!

September 17, 2026 ~ 5:30PM ~ Dayton Metro Library Main Campus

A big thank you to our sponsors: Wright-Patt Credit Union, The Dayton Foundation, Montgomery County, and Key Bank!