ABC Life Literacy Canada

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Hundreds of activities with thousands of participants planned for, and during the week leading up to, January 27 to celebrate the benefits of families reading and learning together

January 21, 2009 – TORONTO, ON – ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation, Honda Canada and best-selling author Robert Munsch, are rallying Canadians across the country to make family literacy a priority through national Family Literacy Day (FLD) promotions and celebrations taking place over the next week.

“The Family Literacy Day initiative, now in its 11th year, continues to be important 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, our hope is that Canadians will practise family literacy every day, simply by setting aside 15 minutes of family time together to read, play games, even follow a recipe together.”

The national Family Literacy Day initiative was created by ABC CANADA and Founding Sponsor 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 the day for over five years, and will appear at a number of events to celebrate and raise awareness for Family Literacy Day on and before January 27.

Family Literacy Day World Record Attempt

The Family Literacy Day World Record Attempt is a prelude to Family Literacy Day activities being held on January 27. The national, bilingual initiative, encourages Canadian adults and children to engage in 30 minutes of reading together between 2:00 pm EST on January 23 and 2:00 pm EST on January 24, 2009 to help break the Guinness World Record™ for “Most Children Reading with an Adult, Multiple Locations.” Munschworks 2, published by Annick Press and featuring five classic Munsch stories, has been chosen as the book to be read during the FLD World Record Attempt.

To date, over 900 events, with an estimated 158,000 participants at locations across the country, have been registered online in the attempt to break the current U.S. record of 78,791 adults and children reading together.

A kick off event is being planned at Toronto City Hall for this Friday, January 23, with hundreds of school children and several celebrity guest readers, including: Robert Munsch who will lead the story-telling; Jennifer Valentyne, Co-host of City TV’s “Breakfast Television”; Jake Gold, Co-star of “Canadian Idol” and one of Canada’s most successful artist managers and music producers; Adam Vaughan, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina; and Janet Davis, Toronto City Councillor, Ward 31, Beaches-East York. Officials from Honda Canada and Oxford Learning (the Official FLD World Record Attempt Sponsor) will also be on site, along with Carey Low, Canadian record keeper with Guinness World Records.

Robert Munsch Storytelling at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids)

Robert Munsch will also make a special visit to SickKids on Tuesday, January 27 where he will tell classic Munsch tales in typical Munsch style to a group of captivated children and their families.

This past weekend, Munsch visited the winners of the fourth annual Munsch at Home Contest, a national contest that gives Canadian families a chance to have Munsch visit them for their Family Literacy Day party. Families from across Canada applied to the contest, describing their FLD events, and a winner was chosen: the Kicknosway family of Ottawa. On Saturday, January 17, Munsch joined the family and their friends at a party to begin celebrations leading up to January 27.

“I’m honoured to be part of Family Literacy Day,” says Robert Munsch. “Literacy is an issue that is near and dear to me and I feel it is important to promote children and adults reading and learning together.”

Over a thousand events across the country

In addition to events coordinated by ABC CANADA, a legion of people in libraries, schools, literacy organizations and, of course, families, organize and participate in events celebrating the day. Throughout the week leading up to January 27, these celebrations are wide-ranging. Consider these events:

• Grey Mountain Primary School in Whitehorse, Yukon will gather all students to participate in an FLD World Record Attempt event on January 23.
• The Chilliwack Early Years Committee in Chilliwack, BC has challenged the entire city to read for 20 minutes a day between January 1 and 21. Participants fill in passports and submit them at the end to be entered into draws for prizes.
• Bon Accord Public Library in Alberta is planning an FLD celebration on January 24 that invites participates to write on a graffiti table, take part in an internet scavenger hunt, sing karaoke and/or participate in their FLD World Record Attempt event.
• Families are invited to Glen Elm Library in Regina, Saskatchewan to learn about literacy, try new family websites and enjoy snacks on January 27.
• The Flin Flon Public Library in Manitoba has invited the community to come “unplug” and read in their 10th Annual Reading Rally, which will feature celebrities telling stories, sing-alongs and prizes.
• The McCord Museum of Canadian History in Montréal, Quebec is hosting a bilingual FLD World Record Attempt event on January 24 where Munsch’s stories will be told in both English and French by volunteer actors. The museum also has an interactive exhibition titled Much More Munsch, dedicated to the work of this celebrated Canadian author on display until April.
• Employees and contractors working at the remote Voisey’s Bay Mine Site in Newfoundland and Labrador will celebrate their third annual FLD celebration at the Voisey’s Bay Skills Development Centre on January 22. Free materials will be available, such as adult and children’s books, mining posters, activity and resource sheets, magazines, calendars and prizes.
• The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick in Fredericton has partnered with Sutherland Honda to present an FLD World Record Attempt event. Renowned storyteller Joan Meade will read, refreshments will be served and goodie bags will be distributed to children.
• The Alberton Public Library in PEI is challenging local families to word games such as Scrabble™, Boggle™ and hangman on January 27.

ABC CANADA also acknowledges the generosity of numerous corporate and media supporters enabling, among other things, the distribution of materials and public service announcements that bring family literacy and learning messages to millions of Canadians. The support of FLD Founding Sponsor Honda Canada over the last 11 years has been particularly essential to the success of FLD.

“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 260 dealers across Canada and through our partnership with ABC CANADA, the opportunity to make a real difference in literacy amongst adults and their families has been truly brought to life.”

For more information on Family Literacy Day and a listing of events in your area, visit the Family Literacy Day website at www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.

If you can’t find an event in your area, check with your local library, school or literacy organization or contact ABC CANADA at 1-800-303-1004.

About Family Literacy Day

Family Literacy Day, held annually on January 27, was developed by ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation and Honda Canada in 1999 to encourage families to read and learn together on a daily basis. Last year, for Family Literacy Day’s tenth year celebrations, it is estimated that over 275,000 Canadians participated in literacy activities at home and in schools, libraries and literacy organizations across the country. For more information, visit www.FamilyLiteracyDay.ca.

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 now attracts more than 23 million customers annually. Honda Canada manufactures the Honda Ridgeline, Civic sedan and coupe, the Acura CSX and MDX, in addition to fuel-efficient four cylinder engines at its three plants in Alliston, Ontario.

About ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation

ABC CANADA Literacy Foundation is Canada’s private-sector voice championing adult literacy. The national charity envisions a Canada where individuals, regardless of their circumstances, are provided the opportunities to increase the skills that prepare people for realizing their full potential at work, at home and in the community. To learn more, visit www.abc-canada.org.

MEDIA CONTACTS:

Karen Benner, Communications Manager
Phone: 416-218-0010 x 122
Toll free: 1-800-303-1004 x 122
email: kbenner@abc-canada.org

Ashley Tilley, Communications Coordinator
Phone: 416-218-0010 x 127
Toll free: 1-800-303-1004 x 127
email: atilley@abc-canada.org

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