Fundraising and Awareness Activities

We sponsored the 3^rd Annual Island Book Fair. It was held downtown in the Harbourfront Plaza in August. A number of charities, publishers and authors participated. We had great weather and a good turnout. A wonderful time was had by all.

We are planning four reading related events for next year. We are hoping to organize a Scrabble event for January, a progressive eating event with author readings in March. We will sponsor a bus to go to the Victoria Reading Festival in May and we will do the Island Book Fair in the summer.

If you are interested in participating on any of these committees, please give us a call at 754-8988.

KAMA Workshop

We were honoured to be chosen to receive a special event workshop given by Allison Fisher of World Literacy of Canada.

Pictured above front row left to right: Lynne Fraser, Valerie Fulford, Anne Judson, Thora Howell, Allison Fisher. Back row left to right: Gerry Prouten, Drew Craig, Anne Gilroyed, Carolyn McWhinnie The travelling workshops, one per province, were sponsored by The National Literacy Secretariat. KAMA is the name World Literacy gives to their major reading event held annually in Toronto.

The workshop was very interesting and got us all excited about doing a reading event. We were running out of time however, and all of the authors we picked to headline the event were already booked. Hence, the smaller event we are planning for March.

Computer Recycling

We have downsized our computer recycling program and are screening the donations so that we only receive working computers, monitors, etc. Pentium and newer. We have a number of volunteers working on the computers and we are busy getting them out to families.

Fun Event

Alberni Outpost, a kayaking store in Country Club Centre, sponsored a group of 20 people for a one hour kayak lesson and a two hour tour of Westwood Lake. The cost was $20.00 per person and all of the proceeds were donated to Literacy Central VI. The instructor, Neil Hendrickson, is a volunteer tutor with us. We all had a great time and stayed dry (no rolling over of kayaks). They are going to do this again in the spring so this is a nice inexpensive way to try out kayaking. Thank you Alberni Outpost!

Software Development Grant

We have been awarded a grant from the National Literacy Secretariat and the Ministry of Advanced Education for our computer technician, Brian O'Rooney, to write a simplified phonics program. He will work with an advisory committee of educators, tutors and learners.

Progress

Princess Royal Elementary School is where the BEARS program started (volunteers reading with children). This year, due to the progress being made with their literacy programs, they don't have much call for volunteers. We think that is great news. Congratulations to Princess Royal! That doesn't mean we don't need volunteers. There are still lots of other schools and children who need a little extra help.