Families and Communities Across Canada Count Down to Family Literacy Day®
Hundreds of events and thousands of participants rally on January 27th to celebrate the benefits of families reading and learning together; register your event at FamilyLiteracyDay.ca
(Toronto, ON, January 20, 2010) – ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation and Family Literacy Day founding sponsor Honda Canada encourage all Canadians to make family literacy a priority by participating in Family Literacy Day promotions and celebrations happening across Canada during the next week.
“Family Literacy Day, now in its 12th year, continues to be an important initiative because low literacy is a daily challenge for four out of 10 adult Canadians aged 16-65,” says Margaret Eaton, President, ABC CANADA. “While Family Literacy Day is celebrated annually on January 27, Canadians can practise literacy every day by setting aside 15 minutes of family time to read, play games, sing or follow a recipe together.”
Family Literacy Day was developed by ABC CANADA and Honda Canada in 1999 to celebrate families reading and learning together on a daily basis. Canadian author Robert Munsch, Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day, has been an ambassador for family literacy for over six years and will celebrate and raise awareness for Family Literacy Day on January 27.
“At Honda, we recognize the importance of giving back to the communities where our dealers, associates and customers live, work and play,” says Jerry Chenkin, Executive Vice President, Honda Canada. “With Honda’s extensive dealer network across Canada and through our partnership with ABC CANADA, the opportunity to make a real difference in literacy amongst Canadian families has been truly brought to life.”
“The Government of Canada is proud to support activities like Family Literacy Day that help Canadians develop and maintain the skills they need to reach their full potential,” says the Honourable Diane Finley, Minister of Human Resources and Skills Development Canada. “Improved literacy and essential skills helps adults function better in their families, communities and the labour market.”
Sing for Literacy
The Family Literacy Day 2010 theme is Sing for Literacy. Hundreds of families, schools, libraries and literacy organizations across Canada are participating in Sing for Literacy by hosting singing-themed Family Literacy Day events. ABC CANADA has also partnered with The KARAOKE Channel to provide free karaoke videos of popular English and French songs, available at FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.
To celebrate the Sing for Literacy theme, ABC CANADA and The Royal Conservatory’s Learning Through the Arts program has also partnered together to create a new song in honour of Family Literacy Day. The new literacy song will be written and composed by Toronto-based grade six students from The Royal Conservatory's Etherington and Vukets Music Champion Program with guidance from a singer-songwriter. The song will be revealed and performed, along with a reading by Robert Munsch, at the Royal Conservatory of Music in Toronto on Family Literacy Day (January 27).
Hundreds of events across Canada
Throughout the week leading up to January 27, thousands of Canadians will take part in Family Literacy Day events at homes, libraries, schools, literacy organizations and community groups across the country. Here are just a few events:
- Eliza Van Bibber School in Pelly Crossing, YK will host a pyjama day at school with a pancake breakfast and a family read-in.
- Penticton Honda and Literacy Now in Penticton, BC set a community challenge to 'Fill the Fit' (Honda Fit vehicle) with books.
- At the Grande Prairie Public Library in Grand Prairie, AB, Mayor Dwight Logan will read to all guests in attendance.
- The Melville Public Library in Melville, SK will host a pizza and karaoke night.
- Read to Me Family Literacy in Flin Flon, MB will host a campfire sing-along and reading rally for their 11th annual event.
- Frontenac Mall in Kingston, ON will host local children’s recording artist, Mary Lambert, for a sing-along. There will also be a story time and drawing session with children’s book author and illustrator Per-Henrik Gurth.
- RECLAIM Literacy Council in Montreal, QC will host the 4th annual ‘Oodles and oodles of noodles’ fundraising/awareness event.
- At Belleisle Elementary School in Springfield, NB, classrooms will play board games.
- Carbonear Public Library in St. John’s, NL will invite local performers to take part in a traditional Irish sing-along.
- The Dartmouth Family Centre in Dartmouth, NS will host ‘Nursery Rhyme Olympics’ for parents and their young children.
- Stratford Public Library in Stratford, PEI will host a story time with a representative from Capital Honda reading to children.
For more information on Family Literacy Day and a listing of events in your area, visit FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.
About ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation:
ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is Canada’s private-sector voice championing adult literacy. The national charity’s initiatives and campaigns are focused on bringing about meaningful change to raise Canadian adult literacy skills. It envisions a Canada where individuals, regardless of their circumstances, are provided the opportunities to increase those skills that prepare people for realizing their full potential at work, at home and in the community. For the latest news and information on adult literacy please visit www.abc-canada.org, follow us on Twitter or join our Facebook page.
About Honda Canada:
Honda is the world’s pre-eminent maker of engines for automobiles, motorcycles and power equipment. With 135 manufacturing facilities in 28 countries worldwide, Honda attracts more than 23 million customers annually. Honda Canada manufactures the Honda Civic sedan and coupe, and the Acura CSX and MDX at its two assembly plants in Alliston, Ontario. Honda also manufactures engines at a third plant, also in Alliston. Now in its 40th year of operations in Canada, Honda Canada Inc. has sold more than 3,200,000 Honda and Acura passenger cars and light-duty trucks. Nearly half of all Honda and Acura vehicles sold in Canada in 2008 were made in Canada – a higher percentage than any other vehicle manufacturer in Canada.
The Honda Canada Foundation and its corporate entities provide annual funding to registered non-profit charities across Canada in support of safety, education, engineering and sustaining of the environment for [children and] youth.
For more information, please contact:
Nikki Luscombe, Communications Manager
ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation
Tel: 416 218-0010 x122
nluscombe@abc-canada.org
Ashley Tilley, Communications Co-ordinator
ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation
Tel: 416-218-0010, ext. 127
atilley@abc-canada.org
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