Families throughout the valley will have much to look forward to in the coming weeks.
Family Literacy day is fast approaching.
The event takes place annually on January 27 to celebrate adults and children reading and learning together, and encourages Canadians to spend at least fifteen minutes with their family every day to enjoy a learning activity.
This year’s Family Literacy theme is “Play for Literacy!”
Families can enjoy learning activities and games to better a variety of skills, such as reading, writing, math and comprehension.
“Literacy is so important as a fundamental building block for everything we do,” said April Chruszcz, Windermere Valley Community Literacy Coordinator for the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL).
“We are definitely bringing it into more focus.”
CBAL is working closely with several programs and organizations this year to bring family events to the community, such as East Kootenay Kids, starting from January 26 and ended on February 4.
“We try to do something every year,” said Leah Shoemaker, assistant librarian at the Invermere Public Library.
“We worked together with CBAL for our events. We’re giving families an opportunity to do things together and have fun too.”
Also working with CBAL on events is the Radium Public Library, which will be presenting Pyjama Story Time on Wednesday nights beginning January 19 from 6:45 p.m. to 7:15 p.m.
Invermere library will be holding several storytime and game nights that families can register for on January 26 and January 28.
Their usual Scrabble evening is held on February 2 will now be a family event for Family Literacy Day week.
Schools throughout the area will be partaking in a variety of events for the week, such as the Strong Start program and library field trips and scavenger hunts.
Canal Flats will be holding several open houses through the week as well.
Both the Invermere and Radium public libraries will be a part of a celebration with CBAL at the Invermere Community Hall on February 4.
The event runs all day, starting at 9:30 a.m. and ended at 4 p.m.
Booths will be set up in the hall for different activities for all ages.