Literacy For Life - C.O.W. Bus to visit 3 Lucky Communities

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Literacy for Life is excited to announce that the COW Bus (Classroom on Wheels) sponsored by the Center for Family Literacy, will be coming to local libraries:
Sheep River Library (Black Diamond) - October 5th, 11am -7pm.
High River Centennial Library - October 6th, 11am -7pm.
Okotoks Public Library - October 7th 11am -7pm.
The host community libraries have come together with Literacy for Life to promote the common goal of raising awareness for family literacy throughout Alberta! It is hoped that the visit will increase awareness and support for family literacy in all community sectors. We want to focus on raising the profile of our local literacy programs and increasing awareness of how important family literacy activities are to a child's development. The COW bus is a fun and interesting place geared towards preschool children and their parents. It's a place to see that literacy surrounds us in many forms and there are many ways to learn! It is hoped that some of the fun activities will entice families to seek out local programming in the field of family literacy. Literacy for Life is pleased and proud to have the opportunity to partner with our local libraries!
Thanks to Lakeview Inns and Suites who have discounted the rooms for the COW Bus facilitators and local Okotoks restaurants that will provide their evening meals. From 1:30pm to 2:00pm (on all three days) the COW bus facilitators will present the host library with a legacy library gift of 47 books and 3 DVD/CD's. Come out and join the celebrations!
Today, 4 out of 10 Albertans struggle with literacy.
Imagine their challenges – school, books, job applications, safety manuals, menus, prescriptions, instructions, signs, maps.
Imagine what Alberta could achieve if everyone could read. Our goal is a healthy, literate society where all are able to contribute and succeed.
At the Centre for Family Literacy, we are committed to helping build, develop and improve literacy in Alberta.
The Alberta Prairie Classroom on Wheels is a project of the Centre for Family Literacy in Edmonton.
The COW Bus has been in operation since 2003 and runs year-round. Its mandate is to visit 60 rural Alberta communities every year. Local organizations work together to coordinate a COW Bus visit. An event that includes the COW Bus can be a great way for these organizations to create awareness for programs in their communities.
The Bus is filled with books and a variety of homemade activities, all intended to help boost early learning and literacy skills. Parents and their children from 0 – 6 years are welcome to explore the activities. Trained facilitators share ideas and support parents in their roles as their children's first and most important teachers.
The COW Bus brings a Legacy Library of brand new children's books to each community it visits. These books are often added to the local library's collection or used in a local family or literacy program.
Alberta Advanced Education & Technology and United Way fund the COW Bus Project.