INNISFAIL – Members with the Henday Association for Lifelong Learning were at the Innisfail Farmers Market on Thursday, Sept. 5 raising awareness about the importance of literacy.
Sept. 8 marked International Literacy Day, a day that was first proclaimed during the 14th session of UNESCO’s General Conference in October 1996.
The association is joining other organizations and cities around the world to remind individuals, families and communities about the important role literacy plays in our everyday lives.
“International Literacy Day (helps) create awareness about the literacy issues around the world and how literacy is a matter of dignity and human rights,” said Donna Arnold, executive director at the Henday Association for Lifelong Learning. “This day is to celebrate and create awareness. We are here giving away cake, celebrating the day and raising awareness of literacy and the issues that we have even here in Canada.”
Arnold pointed to literacy statistics across the county.
“In Canada, we still have a 42 per cent low literacy rate among adults,” she said, noting the organization’s important role here in Innisfail. “As the Henday Association we do work with literacy, with upgrading and continuing education. Definitely literacy is a big part of it.”
The association also provides various programs and activities for families and individuals in Innisfail and across Central Alberta, including the Innisfail Parent-Child SEEDS program and General Educational Development (GED) high school equivalency exams.
The organization also participates in several events throughout the year that celebrate literacy.
“Family Literacy Day (Jan. 27) is celebrating literacy with the family unit together, doing things together,” said Arnold. “We also have a family literacy program, we help with adult literacy, we have English as a Second Language (ESL) classes and we have basic computer classes as well as (programs) Excel and Word.”
For more information visit www.hendaylearning.com or call the Henday Association for Lifelong Learning at 403-227-2866.
