Profile: Linda Grimshaw

When Linda Grimshaw’s husband died in 2011 after a long illness and she closed her bookkeeping business three years later, she found herself with little to do.? Linda loved to read, so she called the Literacy Council of Upper Pinellas in 2015, thinking that she would volunteer to help people to read.? “It turned out to be much more than that,” she says now.

Linda Grimshaw talks with a student and her daughter at Dunedin Elementary School

“It’s definitely not what I expected.”

Although Linda didn’t anticipate working primarily with immigrants learning to speak English as a Second Language, she has adapted and become very active as an LCUP volunteer.? “I love the people,” she? says.? “I like and admire their dedication and willingness to learn.? I love to wake up and have somewhere to go where I feel needed.? I love helping people achieve success, and success for our students is being able to do the things they want to do.”

Linda now tutors two ESL students, co-teaches the conversation class at Dunedin Elementary School, and assists with the conversation class at Dunedin Public Library.? She serves as LCUP’s Reading Horizons coordinator (participation has increased greatly under her leadership) and web page manager (our updated web page looks great!).? Linda has also served on the LCUP board for one year.

In 2000 Linda was involved in an automobile accident that broke her neck and left her with a mild traumatic brain injury.? She lost the ability to read and do math calculations.? “It took over two years of daily instruction from my daughter for me to regain about 60% of my former abilities,” she said.? “And I didn’t need to learn a new language.”