Project Literacy Kelowna Society Blog

2009-11-02T09:22:00.000-08:00

Please Join Us for

Project Literacy Kelowna Society’s

23rd Annual General Meeting

Featuring:

Inspiring literacy journeys by our learners including
Kevin Mardell
Winner of the 2008 Literacy BC Provincial Learner’s Achievement Award

Date: Tuesday, November 17th, 2009

Time: 7:00 pm

Place: Downtown Library - 1380 Ellis Street

(Parking in the library parkade)

Refreshments will be served.
Everyone is welcome!

Raise A Reader Day Donations Exceed Last Year!

2009-10-07T17:51:00.000-07:00

Raise A Reader Day Donations Exceed Last Year!
Every dollar raised in our community stays in our community to support local literacy programs!

On September 23rd more than seventy volunteers exchanged special Raise A Reader editions of The Daily Courier for donations on street corners and outside coffee shops throughout Kelowna and West Kelowna... with fantastic success!

Over $4,000 worth of Loonies, Toonies and in one case a $100 bill were collected in just one and a half hours by volunteers who came in all shapes and sizes: Firefighters, Rotarians, City Councillors, Kiwanis members, Project Literacy tutors and learners, Kelowna's Mayor, MP, Ron Cannan, members of our local R.C.M.P., Okanagan Sun Players, media personalities and scores of other caring community citizens.

A donation of $5,000 from an anonymous contributor, plus other corporate donations brought our local grand total to just over

$15,000!

On behalf of Project Literacy Kelowna Society and all the local literacy programs these funds will support,

THANK YOU!

Literacy is a community legacy; your donations will help us pass it on!

Scrabble champ draws a crowd at Literacy Day celebration | Kelowna.com

2009-09-14T09:33:00.001-07:00

Scrabble champ draws a crowd at Literacy Day celebration | Kelowna.com

BC's 4th ranked SCRABBLE (R) player joins Project Literacy's International Literacy Day Celebration!!

Back To Regular Hours

2009-09-03T13:54:00.000-07:00

Now that school is back and summer holidays are offically over, Project Literacy has returned to our regular hours. Call or drop by:

Monday 9-4
Tuesday 9-4
Wednesday 9-7
Thursday 9-4
Friday 9-12

We hope everyone had a great summer!

You're Invited to our 4th Annual International Literacy Day Celebration

2009-09-03T13:02:00.000-07:00

British Columbia SCRABBLE® Champion Joins Annual Literacy Celebration!

Jesse Matthews, BC’s third ranked SCRABBLE® player, will challenge attendees in simultaneous games of SCRABBLE® at Project Literacy Kelowna Society’s Fourth Annual International Literacy Day Celebration at the Downtown library on Saturday, September 12^th.

Barb Hagan, Project Literacy’s executive director says this year’s literacy celebration will be their most ambitious event yet. In addition to SCRABBLE® champion Jesse Matthews, the day will also include First Nation’s storyteller, Judi Garner-Niehaus, hourly prize draws, a treasure hunt, and a Children’s Story Circle featuring, Mayor Sharon Shepherd, New School District #23 Superintendent Hugh Gloster, Radio and TV personalities and up to twenty uniformed Kelowna Firefighters.

It is a free event for the entire family and will be held on Saturday, September 12th at the downtown library, 1380 Ellis Street from 10:00 am to 2:00 pm.

This year’s celebration will also feature players from the Kelowna Rockets Hockey team and a return of the Okanagan Mission Lions Club Mobile Canteen.

More than one million British Columbians struggle with low literacy, which often results in unemployment and margenalization in today’s knowledge-based society. Barb Hagan says this is an opportunity for Project Literacy Kelowna, the Downtown Library and all residents of our community to recognize that Literacy is an important legacy that needs to be passed on.

Summer Hours

2009-06-29T10:32:00.000-07:00

Project Literacy's hours during July and August are:

Monday 9-4
Tuesday 9-4
Wednesday 9-7
Thursday 9-4
Friday CLOSED

We wish all our learners and volunteers a safe and happy summer!!

2009-04-22T12:53:00.000-07:00

National Volunteer Week – April 19 to April 25, 2009

Thank You

To our Amazing Volunteer Literacy Tutors!

You are like ripples in a pond

reaching out and touching others

and changing lives forever.

From the Board and Staff at Project Literacy

Pizza and Pointers was a Blast!

2009-03-30T10:02:00.000-07:00

Our Pizza and Pointers night was an incredible success!!! Thanks to all the tutors who came to share their valuable experience. The ideas, questions and answers were invaluable to us all and the years of experience in the room provided great energy; we look forward to hearing more about your adventures in tutoring. There will undoubtedly be more opportunities for us all to get together in the future. We will keep you posted. Thanks again...

Elaine, Ryan and Barb

Pizza and Pointers for Tutors

2009-02-25T13:48:00.000-08:00

Tutors... Need some new ideas? Got some ideas you want to share? Not sure about all the resources available here at Project Literacy Kelowna? Do you want to meet other tutors and swap stories and ideas? Like free pizza??

Thursday, March 26th from 5:30 until 7:00 we will be hosting an opportunity for all of the above. Elaine and Ryan will have some activities planned and tutors will be sharing their experiences too. Did we mention free pizza?

Watch your email for more details and information as well as an RSVP invitation.

Give us a call or send us an email if you have questions.

International Adult Learners' Week

2009-02-24T11:31:00.000-08:00

International Adult Learners’ Week (IALW) 2009 in Canada will be held from March 2nd through March 8th.

The Week celebrates adult learners across the country and the joy of learning throughout life.

Background

Adult learning and literacy programs share a common purpose – they are advocacy tools for raising the profile of adult learners and lifelong learning; they mobilize individuals to take advantage of the multitude of learning opportunities open to them; and they serve as a reminder that adult learning can be a powerful instrument for change.

Project Literacy Kelowna Society salutes all of our adult learners, past and present and the amazing volunteer tutors who share their time, their expertise and their desire to help others achieve their goals.

NEW!!! Conversation Club II

2009-02-24T11:02:00.000-08:00

Our weekly Conversation Club, which started less than a year ago, has grown far beyond our expectations. What started off with 5 or 6 people has blossomed into over 20 participants from all over the world. Check out the before and after pictures below to see for yourself.

As a result of the incredible interest, we have decided to add a 2nd weekly Conversation Club!! Starting March 6th, 2009, learners can choose to attend either our Tuesday or Friday Conversation Club. We ask that learners please choose only one weekly session to keep the numbers more manageable. The Conversation Club's hours will be Tuesdays 1:00 to 2:00 OR Fridays from 11:00-12:00. We hope to see you there.

Before

After

1st 2009 Tutor Training

2009-01-28T12:23:00.000-08:00

Our first tutor training of the year is just around the corner and there isn't much room left. If you are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, give us a call...we'd love to meet you. Give us a call at 250-762-2163 and Ryan or Elaine would be happy to arrange a meeting.

Our Hours

2009-01-05T11:23:00.000-08:00

The holidays are now over, and we are back to our regular hours. Our office is open

Monday 9-4
Tuesday 9-4
Wednesday 9-7
Thursday 9-4
Friday 9-12

Feel free to call or drop by if you need assistance or are interested in volunteering with Project Literacy.

#205-591 Bernard Ave.
(250) 762-2163

Merry Multi-Cultural Potluck

2009-01-05T11:15:00.000-08:00

Our 2nd Annual Merry Multi-Cultural Potluck was a HUGE success. We had people and food from all over the world. A big thanks to everyone who showed up to eat, talk and celebrate with us. We look forward to next year already. Thanks again everyone!!!

Christmas Hours

2008-12-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Project Literacy Kelowna will be closed for the Christmas Holidays. We will be open until December 23rd, and will be closed from the 24th until January 1st. Friday, January 2nd, we will resume our regular schedule of Monday, Tuesday and Thursday from 9:00-4:00, Wednesdays from 9:00-7:00 and Fridays from 9:00-12:00. Please call us or your tutor/learner if you need to change your meeting schedule over the holidays.

Happy Holidays from Project Literacy Kelowna Society.

Tutor Training

2008-11-17T09:33:00.001-08:00

General and Trades volunteer tutors are needed to help our adult clients in all areas: reading, writing, math and English as a Second Language!

Our November Tutor Training is fast approaching. It will be held on Thursday, November 27th in the evening and continued on Saturday, November 29th during the day.

If you have a few hours a week to spare and are interested in becoming a volunteer tutor, please let us know; we could really use you!!

Call 250-762-2163 to learn more or to set up an interview.

Volunteer Fair

2008-10-29T15:13:00.000-07:00

(Back row from the left: PLKS Executive Director, Barb Hagan, Assessment Consultant, Elaine Johnston and City Counsellor, Michelle Rule. In front: Learning Disabilities Consultant, Jean Lee and Trades Project Coordinator, Louie Gaudet)

The Volunteer Fair was another big success for Project Literacy Kelowna Society. We met so many interesting people and generated a lot of interest. Thanks to all the volunteers and everyone who stopped by for information. We have many new tutors as a result.

Raise-A-Reader Day

2008-10-27T10:10:00.000-07:00

Mayor Sharon Shepherd and RCMP Supt. Bill McKinnon

Thank you Kelowna!!!
Raise a Reader Day Was a Huge Success!

Last year, which was the first time Raise a Reader day was held in our city, just under $3,000 was raised in a little over one and a half hours and we were thrilled!

This year, with the help of a $5,000 donation from the Rotary Club of Kelowna, $1,000 from the Kelowna Okanagan Mission Rotary Club and $6,000 collected by an awesome team of volunteers on street corners throughout Kelowna and the Westside, our local total for the sale of special edition Raise a Reader Daily Courier newspapers reached $12,000!

As was the case last year, the province of BC has promised to match every dollar raised including our share of corporate donations from across Canada and proceeds from three CanWest concerts. All in all the estimated grand total is projected to be in excess of

$40,000!!

(left) Project Literacy Board Member, Jennifer Marte
(right) Project Literacy Tutor, Airlie Pinkerton

On behalf of our board members, staff, learners and tutors thank you to the Kelowna Daily Courier’s publisher, Alison Yesilcimen and Managing Editor, Tom Wilson for bringing Raise a Reader to Kelowna in support of family literacy.

International Literacy Day

2008-09-19T10:41:00.000-07:00

Thanks to all the Kelowna Firefighters who joined us for International Literacy Day.

Our 3rd Annual International Literacy Day Celebration at the Kelowna Library was a big success!!

We gave away lots of books, balloons and prizes. Everyone was entertained by the Kelowna Professional fire fighters and local celebrities who read children's stories in the reading circle.

Also, Judi Garner-Niehaus's puppet story was a big hit and got some of the audience involved as well!

Thanks to all the volunteers and participants who came by the library, we had a great time!! Our next Big Event is our annual Raise a Reader Day on September 24th. Look for volunteers selling newspapers for donations on street corners throughout Kelowna and on the Westside.

(left)What a team! Thanks for another amazing International Literacy Day celebration
(right) Meet Webster, our 2008 CHBC TV Good News Bear. You will have a chance to win Webster by making a donation to the Kelowna Food Bank during CHBC TV's annual Christmas Good News Bear Campaign.

Project Literacy Kelowna Society now has a blog!!

2008-08-27T13:34:00.000-07:00

Hello everyone!!! If you are reading this, you must have found our new blog. We will try to update everyone as to special events as well as general events that are relevant and interesting to us and you. Check back for more blog updates, and please tell your friends to check out our new blog!