 December 2020 Newsletter
PS: Grab a coffee and get comfortable as this is long one! |
|
|
|
Seasonings Greeting from the Literacy Society of the North Okanagan!
It’s that time of the year for reflection and gratitude and we have plenty to be thankful for!
- Our amazing supporters who donated to us even when we couldn’t hold the Spelling Bee, that plus the Post Media Raise a Reader campaign (thanks Vernon Morning Star!) netted over $24,000. This will be a huge help as we maneuver through this next year.
- Our local donors who always come through – I won’t name you because I would hate to miss someone, and I’m not sure you would want me to, but we know who you are and we thank you!
- Our intrepid volunteers and staff who showed up to support children and adults even under our present conditions.
- Our funders and granters who have been generous and understanding.
- Our partners who continue to reach out and are doing their best to help our community through this time.
- The families, children, and adults who trusted us to provide them with safe learning conditions.
- Our Board of Directors who volunteer their time so that we can fulfill our mandate.
- Our provincial partners, Decoda Literacy Solutions whose support has been there for us in so many ways this year.
While the holidays and our New Year will look and feel different this year, there are still ways to celebrate this wonderful place we live in and bring good cheer to others less fortunate.
We wish you joy and a cozy corner in which to curl up with a good book!
Wendy Aasen, Executive Director
|
|
Literacy Outreach – Wendy Aasen
Our literacy outreach includes working with our adult and early years partner groups to identify and fill learning gaps, do small projects and events, in addition to providing Books for Babies.
This year has been more difficult but a recent donation allowed us to purchase over 150 new books for less advantage families with children which we hope will go out in time for the holidays through our partner organization’s distributions.
|
Family Literacy Week
Story Window Walk January 24 – 31st
I am busy contacting downtown businesses to set up a Story-Window walk through our downtown corridor. An engaging story is selected and the pages are divided out, sequenced, laminated, and posted in store windows and doors for families and passersby to read as they stroll along the sidewalk. The walk will start at the library, where participants can pick up a map, watch for the clues, and then enter a prize draw upon completion. A fun, active, and safe way to promote literacy and learning. Come and check it out!
|
|
Reading Together
As the Reading Together Coordinator I would like to thank all of our volunteers, past and present, and wish them a very happy holiday season and hope to see you all in 2021!
Best Wishes,
Bonnie and Skittles
The Cat Came Back and so will Reading Together!!!
|
|
|
|
Skills Boost at the People Place
We decided to “pivot” our former Skills Boost one on one tutoring program this fall and instead provided a literacy and numeracy learning group at the People Place for students in grades 2-4. Eleven students joined us for two hours each week for 8 weeks.
Bonnie Hutton and Lindsay Bayford teamed up to lead this program, with the generous support of a remarkable team of volunteers. The time and care invested by the volunteers allowed for nearly every student to receive individual support. Students engaged in a wide variety of learning activities that included lessons in Dr. Seuss and sight words, poetry writing, cooking with fractions and writing recipes, onomatopoeia, counting money, measurement, and probability.
A huge thank you to the committed team of volunteers who supported us: Lindy Blakeley, Kacey Wemyss, Robyn Thurston, Samantha Richardson, Loralie Whibley, Rod Drennan, Pam Van Kleeck, and Mae Fawcett.
We hope to offer more learning programs like this in the new year at our new location at the Anna Fulton Cail Heritage Hall located next to the Vernon Science Centre. Our goal is to be able to provide literacy and numeracy support to an expanded audience of students in grades 2-7.
 |
|
Playing with Numbers
Family Workshop
“Play is our brain’s favorite way of learning.” Diane Ackerman
"Play is the highest form of research.” Albert Einstein
“Playtime is precious. Play builds brain pathways for thinking, creativity, flexibility, empathy, and many other lifelong skills.” Heather Schumaker
Two terrific families joined us for our first ever Playing with Numbers workshop series this November. Bonnie Hutton and Lindsay Bayford teamed up once again to provide participants with a workshop devoted to fun games that support numeracy learning.
Participants were exposed to a wide variety of games—some requiring only simple game pieces like cards and dice, along with other trademarked board games as well. Families were able to test out a variety of numeracy games to find their favorites.
What a terrific way to spend a Saturday afternoon!
We hope to offer more workshops like this in the new year—with games that build both numeracy and literacy skills.
|
|
|
Boys and Girls Club Okanagan Skills Boost Program Partnership
“This is gonna be a fun day!” Jasper
Before, I didn’t want to come here because I wanted more time with my friend, but now I don’t want to leave.” Aaron
Our literacy and numeracy building Skills Boost program at the Vernon Boys and Girls Club program wrapped up on Thursday, December 10th. Nine students in grades 2-4 spent two and a half hours each week, for eight weeks, busy and engaged in a variety of fun literacy and numeracy learning activities.
This program was led by two experienced and dynamic educators, Jennifer Gardner and Dianne Talbot, and was supported by our amazing new volunteer Zina Park. We are so grateful to this incredible team for the energy, expertise, and care that they invested in this program and for supporting this brilliant group of learners. We hope to offer this free program again beginning in mid-January.
|
|
|
|
Financial Literacy Workshop at Splatsin First Nation
Lindsay Bayford spent the day with an incredible group of ten young adults, digging deep into financial literacy and discussing beliefs and misconceptions about money, budgeting, saving and investing, and building and using credit.
This was Lindsay’s first foray into providing Financial Literacy workshops and thankfully the evaluations revealed a resounding response of “Yes” to “Would you recommend this class to a friend?”. The following reasons were cited: “essential skills not learned in school”, “helps a bunch with financial stabilization”, “it’s useful”, “useful skills”, and “interesting knowledge”.
Thank you to Kyle Crump for inviting us out to Splatsin First Nation.
 |
|
Computer Support – Digital Workshops
We were fortunate to receive a Government of Canada grant via the United Way Southern Interior to support all of our tutoring programs including Computer Support.
Given we didn’t have access to the library and providing one on one support was hindered for safety reasons, we decided to offer free small group workshops that would help seniors get connected during the pandemic.
Lucky for us we found a resource in Stacey Barber of Tamarack Tech Ltd. She has a background instructing and is prepared to help with any device.
We started up by providing three separate workshops to seniors at the Friendship Centre who were learning how to use their new tablets. Subsequent workshops for iPad were also popular. Unfortunately, when the new Covid order came in November, we had to suspend the rest of the workshops planned. Our Coordinator, Betty, really misses the one on one tutoring sessions. We hope to resume both in the New Year!
|
|
|
HAVE A WONDERFUL HOLIDAY AND ALL THE BEST IN 2021!
Please note our office will be closed from December 18 to January 4, 2021
|
|
|
|
|
