Literacy Education Services, INC.

LESI, the region’s first non-profit agency devoted to adult literacy, was founded in 1974 by Wilhelmine “Billie” Pollard, a retired school teacher who took on the initiative to teach English to the first southeast Asian refugees settling in the Fox River Valley, providing a much-needed service in the community.

At age 60, Billie began her “new career” as president of LESI, pioneering adult literacy and serving students from all over the world. Along her thirty-five year span of serving, Billie’s contributions were widely recognized, including at age 79, being named one of Wisconsin’s Ten Most Admired Senior Citizens. At age 88, Lawrence University named her among the alumni who have given the most service to the community, and at 95, her unique and lasting service to the Fox Cities was recognized by the Appleton Chapter of the Wisconsin State Society, Daughters of the American Revolution.

In his 2011 biography, The House that Billie Built, Tom Stenkylft beautifully portrays Billie’s life and passion with her LESI journey, depicting the ability she possessed to inspire new generations of literacy advocates, both within and outside of the organization.