Applause to the Literacy Volunteers of Upshur County, who have helped more than 400 adults learn to read and master other necessary skills in the last 30 years. Unfortunately, the group’s office space, which has been provided during that time by the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, will not be available after Aug. 31. The group is looking for a new space in which to operate. For more information on how to help, visit the LVUC’s website at upshurliteracy.com.

Applause to the organizations that provide nutritional meals for children during the summer months when schools are closed. For example, Mountain CAP of West Virginia will be offering breakfast and lunch Monday through Friday at six sites this summer. “We feed children 18 years and under. It’s not income-based; it is (for) any child,” said program director April Spears. Such programs do a great deal of good for in-need children in our communities.

Applause to the community garden project on Collett Street in Beverly. Kindergarten and fifth-grade students worked together Wednesday to plant pumpkins and zinnia flowers, and learn about soil at the garden. A grant from Dominion Energy and the help of Beverly Heritage Center volunteer Linda Tracy helped give the kids a wonderful opportunity to learn about nature.

Boo to being uncomfortable at your own high school graduation. Only one of the seven public high school graduations held last month in Randolph, Barbour, Tucker and Upshur counties took place outdoors. During several of the indoor ceremonies, the lack of airconditioning, combined with the crowd of people eager to watch or take part in the graduation activities, led to high temperatures, stuffy air quality and a general atmosphere of oppressiveness. This isn’t how high school graduations are supposed to be conducted. The students and their families and friends should be able to enjoy these ceremonies in reasonable comfort, not in sauna-type conditions. Our area education officials should take a look at having the commencement ceremonies in spaces where the participants can be filled with joy, not bathed in sweat.