By Liza Morris/Special to The News
Let’s Be Active! Move, Learn, Play is the theme of this year’s British Columbia family literacy week, which takes place every year during the last week of January.
To promote the importance of literacy for families and the entire community, the Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Community Literacy Committee, Family Education & Support Centre, Maple Ridge Pitt Meadows Katzie Local Immigrant Partnership, and the Maple Ridge Public Library have created a special virtual celebration.
The Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows virtual family literacy celebration takes place Jan. 27 to 30, it got underway Wednesday afternoon.
Check out the online event on Facebook or Youtube (see links below) for fun and interactive videos from SD42, The ACT, Maple Ridge Public Library, MR Ukulele Circle, Fraser River Indigenous Society, MR Artists in Residence, DMRBIA, the Haney Farmers Market, Show Stoppers Academy, RM Multicultural Society, Family Education & Support, and MR Historical Society.
https://bit.ly/familyliteracy2021facebook
https://bit.ly/familyliteracy2021youtube
More than 500,000 British Columbian have significant challenges to literacy.
In fact, due to limited literacy skills, 45 per cent of British Columbians have difficulty in accomplishing daily living tasks, like filling out a form, comparison shopping or reading instructions.
Literacy matters for the economy, work, health, justice, newcomers, seniors, children and youth, and families.
It profoundly influences every aspect of our lives.
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The annual national family literacy week celebration is an opportunity to highlight the significance of literacy in all aspects of our lives and promote the importance of developing literacy skills in ways that are enjoyable and help develop a life-long love of reading.
Looking for more ways to celebrate?
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Stop by Maple Ridge Public Library to pick up a free family literacy week take-and-make activity package. Each package includes games, crafts, colouring sheets, literacy tip sheets for parents, and a few extra fun surprises.
Check out the Fraser Valley Regional Library online family literacy week scratch-and-win book draw for your chance to win copies of Yoga Animals and I Got the Rhythm. Contest runs Jan. 24 through 31.
For more information about the Maple Ridge & Pitt Meadows virtual family literacy week event, follow the links or contact your local library.
– Liza Morris is a community librarian at Fraser Valley Regional Library’s Maple Ridge branch
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