Coast Mountain News Thursday, February 2, 2012
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$1.00 + HST Vol. 28 | No. 03 Thursday, February 2, 2012 2
Serving the Bella Coola Valley eyy and the Chilcotin
Local resident receives Medal of Military Valour
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Michael Wigle photo
Food sources are scarce this time of year for all wildlife, as evidenced by this group of eagles vying for some food in this field in Hagensborg
Family Literacy Fair a well-attended success CHRISTINA BOUCHER Across Canada, thousands of families, literacy groups, schools, libraries and community organizations gathered to celebrate the importance of literacy and learning in honour of Family Literacy Day – Canada’s largest family literacy initiative. Locally, awareness of the importance of literacy was spread from the Acwsalcta School gym on Thursday,
January 26. A wide array of events was enjoyed by the 158 attendees, which included children and adults alike. A banner stretched across the stage, reading “Muus yas ske paapqanap,” or: “It’s better for us all to read.” Acwsalcta principal Gerry Tetrault opened the ceremonies of the day by welcoming the crowd and noting the importance of literacy in our lives. Lance Nelson and Karen Anderson also provided a
welcoming address and led the Nuxalk Prayer. As the attendees explored the informational and interactive table displays, many performers lit up the stage with musical talents, including Brody Tuck, Rachel Chatham, Rebecca Chatham, as well as Caley and Niki Watts. A hugely popular event was the rock-climbing wall, which was enjoyed by the children, many of whom were experienc-
ing this fun physical challenge for the first time. Thanks to Lindsay and Geoff Gericke for managing the station and assisting the young climbers throughout the Fair. A book fair run in the library generated a lot of traffic, as did the many tables in the gym that provided free books, or the chance to win books in several draws. The storytelling tent in the library was always busy with young readers eager to listen to
stories. The aim of the Fair was to raise awareness about the importance of literacy, and to offer practical solutions to increase literacy at home, within the family. Nutritionist Liz Howard ran a display entitled “A Recipe for Literacy” that aimed to show how children could increase their literacy skills through cooking. Presenting a healthy choice SEE LITERACY ON PAGE 3