The fourth annual Literacy Volunteers, Valley Shore April Fools' 5K Run & Backward Mile will be held on Saturday, April 2 at the Essex Town Hall on the corner of Grove Street and West Avenue. There are three events this year, including the Backward Mile, the Lollipop Run, and the 5K Run/Walk. The 5K Run/Walk is open to all, however, the Backward Mile is restricted to adults 18 years of age or older. The Lollipop Run is open to children six and younger. For more information, visit www.vsliteracy.org.

Thomas "Tom" Houpert is a man of his word-many words, in fact.

As president of the board of directors for the Literacy Volunteers, Valley Shore (LVVS), which recently called the Westbrook Library basement it home base, he is one of the faces behind the volunteer program that helps provide free tutoring in English as a second language to multi-cultural families.

"Our mission is to train the tutors so that we can provide free basic literacy, or English as a second language tutoring, to our students," Tom says.

Tom, a financial advisor with Edward Jones in Clinton, is active in many other local organizations, including Clinton Rotary, the Killingworth Lions Club, and serving on the Clinton Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors and as president of the Killingworth Chamber of Commerce.

He and his wife Ann Pellegrini, who reside in Killingworth, joined the LVVS Board of Directors more than six years ago. Ann recently left the LVVS board, but is still active in the program.

Tom says that the board is responsible for setting the policy of the program and "making sure we have the funding necessary to fulfill our mission."

LVVS is a United Way partner and receives substantial funding through that program. Through the program, students-predominantly adults-sign up for the program and are required to commit to at least one year of tutoring.

Students "may be parents of children who are in school who might be interested in tutoring, they may be refugees who have come to the United States sponsored by a church or other organization," Tom says.

Although there are no specific qualifications to become a student, they must come from the following 11 towns: Guilford, Madison, Clinton, Killingworth, Westbrook, Old Saybrook, Essex, Deep River, Chester, Lyme, and Old Lyme.

The program has had anywhere from 125 to 150 students at a given time and tutoring is provided to them for free. Because LVVS is a free program, it relies heavily on fundraising, sponsorships, and the occasional book sale to help fund the cause.

"We do crazy things like the Backward Mile Road Race; it's one of our major fundraisers for the year," says Tom with a laugh.

He says that this year will mark the fourth annual backward mile race, which LVVS will hold around April Fool's Day, and yes, runners run backwards.

"We have a dedicated group of runners who love to live up to the challenge of running backwards for a mile," Tom says.

The runners pay a sign-up fee, which helps support literacy volunteers. Tom says that "the number of volunteers is constantly growing" and notes the group currently has more than 100 tutors. The next fundraising event, "Scrabble Scramble," will be held by both LVVS and the Essex Rotary at Essex Meadows.

Volunteers are usually a mix of active and retired teachers who apply to volunteer as they would for a job.

"The heart and soul of this entire group is our enormous and amazing group of volunteers," Tom says.

Tom's interest in teaching English started during his time spent in UConn as a Middle East studies major. At 21, he taught English as a second language at the Zagazig University in Egypt, at which he taught adults and college students.

Students are offered the opportunity to participate in an essay writing contest, for which the judges are responsible for coming up with the topic. The winner receives a certificate of achievement at the International Pot Luck Dinner held in May. Food is provided by the students.

"We have them set goals," says Tom, listing getting citizenship or a GED as a couple of examples, and in 2009, he says that LVVS had 11 students gain their citizenship via a test done entirely in English.

"[We want to] give everyone a chance to succeed," he says.