INNISFAIL – Donna Arnold has great awareness and respect for the power of reading.
Arnold, the executive director of the Henday Association for Lifelong Learning, set up two tables for Innisfail Family Literacy Day last weekend at the Innisfail Library/Learning Centre.
One was for crafts to make bookmarks, and once those creations were done kids could move to the second table and find a book to take home.
“This encourages the parents and the children to read together and do things together,” said Arnold, whose tables were set up in the Community Room alongside several other activities for Innisfail Family Literacy Day.
Innisfail mom Jackie Brackney was watching all the fun unfold at the Henday tables where her six-year-old daughter Mikeala MacPhie was busy creating a bookmark.
“This is wonderful. She (Mikeala) has done everything twice. She was the first one here right at 11,” said Brackney. “I think she's going to get a wonderful sense of community and how important it is to be part of the community, and how important reading is.”
Brackney and her daughter were just two of the scores and scores of citizens who took in the annual Innisfail Family Literacy Day celebration.
Family Literacy Day is actually a national event that takes place every Jan. 27 to raise awareness about the importance of reading and engaging in other literacy-related activities as a family.
Since 1999, Innisfail has joined thousands of schools, libraries, literacy organizations and other community groups across the country to celebrate the power and joy of literacy.
This year the Innisfail Family Literacy Day on Jan. 27 was held from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. with a “Let's Have a Family Party” theme.
Within an hour of opening both sides of the Innisfail Library Learning Centre were packed.
With that obvious enthusiasm, Amy Ramsay, manager of the Innisfail Public Library, could not be happier.
“I'm really happy with how many people are here today,” said Ramsay. “I think the weather has a big part in it, and it's just nice to see everybody out enjoying all of the traditional party aspects, like dancing, and singing, and including some literacy components.”
There was no doubting the high level of fun kids were having with the Family Literacy Day bingo cards that had nine different activities to enjoy and check off with their parents.
The activities included listening to guest book readers Gary Leith, the fire chief of the Innisfail Fire Department, and Innisfail RCMP Const. Craig Nelson.
Kids then could have dances with Joy McIlwain from the Joy’s School of Dance, who also took time to read to kids. There was also a virtual reality room in the library to check out.
In the lobby, many intrigued guests, including media, were invited to have their green screen pictures taken with many interesting results.
If that did not work for a good chuckle folks had the opportunity to sing in a separate karaoke room.
Brad Watson from Little Free Library Innisfail was also on hand to showcase the success and growth this past year with the many Little Free Libraries that have been created for several local neighbourhoods.
In the Community Room local artist Karen Scarlett was giving attendees a chance to paint, and Reshann Butts, coordinator of the Innisfail & Area Family Day Home Society, was busy facilitating a Telling Stories with Blocks activity.
“You can tell stories with blocks. There's one little guy who’s got his city up there and all his vehicles,” noted Butts. “They make stories. They build things. They use their imagination, and imagination is key for literacy.”
However, what was best for Ramsay was the social aspect of the well-attended event, with many kids recognizing classmates and parents having the opportunity to meet each other.
“That's nice to see. Maybe they don't know each other. But kids recognize each other here,” said Ramsay. “You can make some community connections.”
