As we approach the midpoint of the year, I am pleased to report to you that the Board has had a very productive spring season.

Since Project Literacy has grown so rapidly in the last few years, we decided that we wanted to make sure that we were prepared to meet the challenges that come with growth.The United Way of Canada offers a wonderful mentoring program called BoardWalks. In February, we had our first session; it was a most informative presentation, and we not only learned what we should be doing, but we also learned that we have been on the right track all along.

In early April, Project Literacy once again had a booth at the Volunteer Opportunities Fair at the Kelowna Curling Club. This event enables people to discover exactly what kind of volunteer activities are available in the community. By being present at the fair, our aim was to make our organization more visible in the community, and as a result of our participation, we were able to signup more tutors.

The Project Literacy Board will be acting as volunteer greeters at the Kelowna Bingo Palace every Friday evening between August 15 and September 12. So if you want to do something fun and support Project Literacy at the same time, drop in to the Bingo Palace on Springfield Rd.,play some bingo, have some fun, and meet a Board member.

Best wishes to everyone for a wonderful summer. Take a book to the beach!

Barb Donaldson
President

As the weather begins to heat up throughout the sunny Okanagan, Project Literacy celebrates the beginning of summer with another expansion! Our existing office space at #205-591 Bernard Avenue has increased in size to accommodate several more tutor-learner pairs, and to provide additional space for tutor training and meetings. We will also be able to add “computer literacy”to our menu of services with added space for individual computer stations.

This spring was a very busy time for both the Adult Literacy Program as well as the Esteem Youth Program. Our Esteem team saw an increase in participants in their Youth Repp Program (Reputation Enhancement Paid Practicum). The HRDC sponsored project assists youth in acquiring life and employability skills to help them secure jobs with supportive employers in the community. Senator Ross Fitzpatrick toured the Esteem facility this spring and commented on the success of the program and reported to the Daily Courier, “These are the kinds of programs a government should be involved in and support because the youth of today are going to be our country’s leaders of tomorrow.”

The Adult Literacy Program is also growing by leaps and bounds. The Federal Government’s expected number of new referrals to our HRDC funded program was exceeded this spring, and milestones were met in the number of clients who found employment as a result of their intervention at Project Literacy.

The success of our many learners is due not only to the diligence of each individual participant, but also to the commitment of our volunteer tutors. These tutors spend countless hours preparing customized lessons and working one-to-one with their learner. When their learner reaches his or her goal and moves out of our program, many tutors will begin working with a new learner. This dedication is what makes our tutors the backbone of our organization. Thank you to all of our volunteer tutors for giving unselfishly of your time and sharing your knowledge with your learners!

Patti Boyle
Executive Director

Maurice Parfitt

Paul Purtell and Madeleine (Esteem)

Maurice and Board President, Barb Donaldson