Shilling for a Cause
Though it may surprise you who read my blog, I’m a big advocate of literacy. As a writer, I owe my living to peoples’ being able to read, it’s that simple. Even in the Madison area, which places itself among Cheeseland’s intelligentsia, there are a surprising number of folks who have trouble reading. I learned that when I helped found a literacy group about 20 years ago in the outlying community of Stoughton. Our first big benefactor was a local semi trailer factory, because many of its employees had trouble following basic instruction sheets.
A few days ago I participated with my friends Reid and Matt in “Busking for Books,” an initiative to raise awareness and cash for the Dane County Literacy Network by posting musicians on 22 downtown Madison street corners. Due to the juxtaposition of our assignment to a street repair sign (see photo), we’re now ready to tour under the moniker Road Work Ahead. Photos by Kerry Hill