Story of the Week
February 1, 1999
This week, we have a story written by Mario Fior, from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan. Mario has a been a participant in the READ Saskatoon adult one to one literacy program since 1995. Upon entering the program, he was matched with a volunteer literacy tutor with whom he has been working ever since. Mario and his tutor meet at the library on a weekly basis. During their meetings, the tutoring pair work on strengthening Mario's reading and writing skills.
When not working to improve his literacy skills, Mario keeps himself busy by spending time with his family and friends. He is also dedicated to his community where he volunteers his time with various community agencies including READ Saskatoon. Mario has volunteered with READ Saskatoon for three years where he has been an active participant on the READ Saskatoon Board of Directors. His role on the Board is as learner representative. This role has enabled him to make suggestions and recommendations on behalf of himself and the other READ Saskatoon learners.
Play an audio version of this story
An Unforgettable Concert
by Mario Fior
Our daughter got us some tickets to see the Luciano Pavarotti Concert which was on November 25 in the Edmonton Coliseum.
The range of ticket prices ran from $35 for standing room to front row seats of $1000 a person. If you wanted to go for lunch with him, the price was $1,150.
There were almost 16,000 people attending the concert that evening. There were people from different parts of the world in the audience, including Hawaii. Gerald Ford and his wife were also there.
We were sitting in the seventh row behind this great tenor. Besides Mr. Pavarotti, there was a soprano named Cynthia Lawrence who sang with him and a flautist named Andrea Griminelly, who played the flute. All these persons are booked for many concerts in the world into 1997. The evening's director was Marco Armiliato, who is from Italy.
This concert was the second of its kind in Canada - a world class performance which we enjoyed very much.
When Mr. Pavarotti turned around toward us to wave, all of our seven rows cheered loudly with great enthusiasm to his astonishment because it was just as if we had planned it.
His concert concluded with five encores which lasted past half an hour because nobody wanted to go home.
