Canadian children’s author Robert Munsch is the honorary chair for Family Literacy Day.
Munsch, noted for his books that captivate children and convert reluctant readers into committed readers, has written a short story on the subject of literacy in his own inimitable style. The story is available for download at the Canadian Community Newspapers Association (CCNA) web site at communitynews.ca/literacy.
Members can use the column as the focus of a Family Literacy Day feature, along with PSAs also on CCNA’s web site.
For several years, CCNA has supported the ABC Canada Literacy Foundation and its annual Family Literacy Day. Last year, in recognition of this support, CCNA and its 680 members were the recipients of the Hon. Joyce Fairbairn Literacy Public Awareness Award.
This sector should be proud of its efforts on behalf of literacy. Community newspapers know the importance of the printed word more than most.
The foundation, sponsored by hundreds of Canadian corporations and media outlets, has been promoting and supporting literacy awareness and programs for the past 10 years. Family Literacy Day, this year scheduled for Jan. 27, is an important initiative. Most members will also be aware of the foundation’s other major initiative, the Peter Gzowski Invitational Golf Tournaments for Literacy.
CCNA’s role is simple. We are asked to use the power of the community press to promote Family Literacy Day in every village, town and city in the country. The Foundation has created a series of public service ads for your use. You’ll find them, in PDF format, at www.communitynews.ca/literacy. Please consider running them prior to, and during the week of, Family Literacy Day.
We know you get lots of requests to run PSAs and they are clearly very important. But can you think of a single issue as important as literacy to the long-term health and success of our own industry?
We believe strongly that this industry should challenge itself to double, and then re-double, its efforts on behalf of literacy. You can start right away by using the materials supplied by ABC Canada. Find local literacy groups and highlight their achievements as well. Perhaps your ad people could devise a special sponsorship page in support of family literacy.
Please, pick up this challenge and run with it. Our communities can only benefit. If you have questions about this initiative, don’t hesitate to contact us.
