Community leaders and volunteers will join Black Press, East Kootenay Community Credit Union and the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL) to raise awareness about the importance of literacy and to raise funds for this year’s Reach a Reader campaign in the Elk Valley. This year’s campaign theme is Books for Kids.
The 7th annual campaign is taking the action to the streets today. Volunteers will be “selling” a special edition of the Free Press by donation. Throughout the Books for Kids campaign, piggy banks will be available at East Kootenay Community Credit Unions, local businesses and community-based literacy programs.
“Children need to learn how to read and by giving them good quality books they will have a better chance of enjoying and developing a lifelong love of reading,” says Chrisy Hill, Community Literacy Coordinator. “The Fernie Ghostriders will continue to support our fundraising effort as they have for many years.” In consideration of the events of the past week in Fernie, the Kimberley Dynamiters reached out and suggested the two teams unite in this time of stress and tragedy to work together in an effort to Reach more Readers.
In the Elk Valley, funds raised will help support CBAL to purchase quality books for children and their families for events such as A Book Under Every Tree, Diversity at our Doorstep, Family Literacy Week.
Early literacy skills are essential in helping children learn how to read and having access to quality books helps to foster these skills. Struggling readers experience numerous barriers as they continue throughout their school years and this impacts not only their learning, but their confidence and self-esteem.
You can support the Books for Kids campaign by making a donation today in Fernie, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at Save-On-Foods, Ann’s Independent Grocer and East Kootenay Community Credit Union. In Sparwood, between 1 p.m. and 3 p.m. at the Greenwood Mall and the East Kootenay Credit Union.
You can also contribute to the campaign by dropping some change into one of the piggy banks you see around town or by donating online at cbal.org. Take the opportunity to help reach a reader and donate today! To learn more about community-based literacy programs in the Elk Valley contact Chrisy Hill, Elk Valley’s Community Literacy Coordinator at elkvalleycoordinator@cbal.org or go to cbal.org.