ABC Life Literacy Canada

2009

In 2009, closes to 290,000 Canadians participated in Family Literacy Day events and activities across the country. But the big event of the season was the Guinness World Record Attempt for "Most Children Reading With an Adult, Multiple Locations". Exactly 119,405 children and adults were documented reading Munschworks 2 by Robert Munsch, Honorary Chair of Family Literacy Day. Canada succeeded in surpassing the original U.S. record of 78,791 participants, holding the record for a few months before the U.S. officially set a new record with 238,620 participants. In addition to the world record attempt, the Kicknosway Family from Ottawa were the winners of the Munsch at Home Contest, and received an unforgettable visit from Robert Munsch!

2008

On January 27, 2008, Canada celebrates the 10th year of Family Literacy Day! The milestone anniversary brings out more than 275,000 Canadians to participate in fun learning activities to celebrate this special day. Thanks to event co-ordinators in schools, literacy organizations, libraries and community centres there are more than 1,300 events held nation-wide. A new prize is introduced for the third installment of the Munsch at Home Contest, offering the Kurbis-Friesen family of Winnipeg a trip to Great Wolf Lodge in Niagara Falls, Ontario, where Munsch also does a special Family Literacy Day storytelling. For the first time in FLD history ABC CANADA develops a special calendar, featuring adult learner profiles, along with family literacy tips and activities.

2007

The national Munsch at Home contest has a successful second year, with a Port Moody, B.C. family winning a visit from FLD honourary chair, Robert Munsch. As an add on, the winning family gets to choose a public library or literacy organization to also receive a special visit from Munsch – in 2007 the Port Moody Public Library. While in BC, Munsch makes a special appearance at “Breakfast of Champions,” a family literacy event hosted by Literacy BC. The FLD message reaches farther thanks to the support of a record 99 websites posting banner ads and new outdoor media partner Pattison Outdoor coming on board. An online event coordinators’ guide is also created and posted on the FLD website for download/ printing by those looking for tips on planning and hosting a celebration.

2006

FLD reaches farther than ever before in 2006 with FLD advertisements appearing in magazines and newspapers across the country, on billboards in Toronto, on transit shelters and posters from Burlington to Pickering in Ontario and on Silverboxes in Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal and, for the first time, Winnipeg. The national Munsch at Home contest is also launched offering the chance for a family to win a personal visit from Robert Munsch. Inspired by the fact that many families across Canada hold their own FLD celebrations, the contest encourages families to write in and tell ABC CANADA what they are planning for their party. Entries are judged for the creativity of the event planned. The Lee family of Calgary are selected as the FLD 2006 Munsch at Home winners. They and their neighbours provide Robert a very warm and enthusiastic welcome to their FLD celebration.

2005

Family Literacy Day receives its largest support to date of outdoor media advertising, with eucan, Astral Media Outdoor and Viacom Outdoor all donating billboard and poster space across the GTA for FLD ads; Robert Munsch renews his commitment to Family Literacy Day and once again acts as Honourary Celebrity Chair. As part of his duties, Munsch participates in a special live online chat with children across Canada in January; the FLD message blankets the Internet, thanks to the support of a record 65 Websites posting FLD banner ads; A number of Canadian celebrities responded to the celebrity book survey, telling ABC CANADA about their favourite children's book and their feelings regarding reading; Newsapers across Canada picked up the story from the press release; For the first time, ABC CANADA makes Penny's Odyssey available to groups for screening as part of their Family Literacy Day activities.

2004

Credit Union Central of Canada (CUCC) develops a special 2004 calendar with a sharing/learning with children theme, which includes a Family Literacy Day ad, family literacy tips, and a special notice on the January page; 250,000 calendars are distributed in CUCC branches across Canada, along with FLD promotional materials; A record sixty-three magazines agree to support Family Literacy Day by donating space for an ad – up from 9 in 2001, the year magazines were first approached for FLD support; Robert Munsch agrees to help promote the importance of Family Literacy Day, by appearing in FLD television Public Service Announcements.

2003

Family Literacy Day appoints its first Honourary Celebrity Chair – best-selling children's author, Robert Munsch; A special FLD story time at BCE Place in Toronto garners a front-page, above-the-fold photo in the city's major daily newspaper, Toronto Star; For the first time, outdoor media companies Astral Media and OMG Media donate billboards and poster space to FLD ads across the Greater Toronto Area; The Family Literacy Day message is transmitted over the web, thanks to the first-time support of major Websites like yellowpages.ca and canadapost.ca.

2002

ABC CANADA develops a family literacy-themed Sixty-Second Report, in partnership with Canada NewsWire. It airs, across Canada, on Global Television, on the evening news, the week before Family Literacy Day. The news-style segment features tips on encouraging family literacy in the home; ABC CANADA's FLD TV Public Service Announcement is aired (with an accompanying text message) on a giant electronic billboard located in downtown Toronto during the months leading up to January 27; Viacom Outdoor, the outdoor media company responsible for transit advertising in Toronto, features a life-sized FLD poster in a high-traffic, underground walkway at King subway, in the heart of Toronto's financial district.

2001

Basics Office Products Ltd., Indigo Books, Music and More, Chapters and Coles support the initiative by distributing promotional materials in their outlets; Out-of-home advertising company, the Elevator News Network (ENN) agrees to display a FLD message on its 800 video screens located in the elevators of large office towers across Canada.

2000

Lire et écrire pour la vie, a 40-minute documentary, written and directed by Marthe Métayer that examines the issue of literacy, is broadcast in prime time on TFO. The documentary broadcast is followed by a panel discussion; ABC CANADA's first-ever FLD television Public Service Announcement (PSA), Learn Anywhere, is created by Brandworks International and aired by broadcasters across Canada; The first FLD radio PSAs, featuring Canadian folk singer Valdy, are produced and aired across Canada.

1999

Family Literacy Day had its beginnings on January 27, 1999, when ABC CANADA created Penny's Odyssey, a made-for-TV movie, which was broadcast nationally in prime time, on CTV. The movie told the story of a middle-class teenage girl who hides her literacy challenges from family and friends.

"Penny's Odyssey" is about the agony and ecstasy of growing up as much as it is about reading and writing," said director Alan Goluboff." Even people who can read will sympathize with the characters and find the program engaging."

The movie was developed by ABC CANADA, and presented by Honda Canada Inc. To help promote it, posters and bookmarks were distributed to the general public by literacy organizations across Canada. These materials included information on the movie, and promoted the importance of family literacy.

In addition, Swiss Chalet included a Family Literacy Day message in menus, and restaurant staff wore FLD buttons on January 27. Winnipeg's famous Assiniboia Downs racetrack featured a special FLD message on all its televisions screens.

The movie and the materials met with such a favourable response that ABC CANADA decided to create an annual, national initiative to celebrate the importance of reading and learning as a family. Since then, Family Literacy Day has been held across Canada every year, on January 27.

For photos of past FLD events, email media@abc-canada.org.