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Follow their example!

Variety and creativity mark fundraising at Mackay Centre School

Participating for the second time in the English-language component of The Gift of Reading^®, teacher Mélissa Racine led three original fundraising activities in which her Grade 5 class were valiantly involved. For the cause, a bake sale, a hockey match between students and teachers, and a green bag sale were organized. Altogether, 248 brand new English-language books were bought with the funds raised.

Teachers and learners at Marguerite-Bourgeoys school board offer The Gift of Reading^®

For their first time participating in the project, Commission scolaire Marguerite-Bourgeoys’s four adult education centres and Carrefour Multiservices collected 185 books!

Outstanding first collection!

School board staff were invited to donate a book or cash in aid of our cause. The funds raised then helped adults registered in literacy training to buy in turn a children’s book to give to The Gift of Reading^®. A number of literacy teachers even added to the experience by organizing visits to a bookstore with the students to choose the books they wanted to give. Back in the classroom, the students took care to write an encouraging word on the dedication bookmark for the child who will be receiving their book.

			A success such as this depends in particular on the commitment of Lorraine Boucher, who instigated this collection, and the support of her colleague Sylvie Roy. Special thanks to all these learners and their teachers for their involvement!
These learners were pleased to take action for the cause!

The official distribution of the books collected took place in the company of Maryse Dufresne, in charge of adult education, Wojtek Winnicki, deputy director general of the school board, and Lorraine Boucher and Sylvie Roy, academic advisors.

A second collection for Dégelis high school

For the second year in a row, École secondaire Dégelis organized a book collection for The Gift of Reading^® on the occasion of its book fair. Some 165 books were collected, a 60% increase over last year. A big thank-you to Denis Clermont, library technician, and his whole team!

Selwyn House School’s youngest students get involved, too!

Claudine Martel, Head of French (Elementary School) at Selwyn House School in Westmount, spontaneously rallied to our cause by inviting parents of kindergarten and Grade 1 students to make cash donations for the purchase of books for The Gift of Reading^®. Through this initiative, 51 books were collected.

A Christmas without presents

For Christmas 2008, the Quebec City office of Absolu communication marketing had the generous idea of replacing the traditional Christmas presents given to their clients at year end by a donation of books to The Gift of Reading^® on their behalf. This original, creative initiative, headed by Élisabeth Lessard, consulting director, led to the collection of 86 books.

An electronic Christmas card, consisting of a story and, relating, in a video clip, the team’s adventures at each stage of their participation in the Gift of Reading® project, was sent to all the agency’s clients. We are proud to thank the entire Absolu communication marketing team for their commitment to the cause!

Fifth successful collection

For the fifth year in a row, UQAM’s arts faculty organized a book collection and fundraiser in aid of The Gift of Reading^® in the university’s different buildings. Enthusiastically orchestrated con brio by research and planning officer, Lucie Chartrand, the initiative this year collected 357 books and raised $571.67. A rousing cheer for all those involved for their outstanding dedication!

Special activities

In early May, the Foundation team had the great pleasure of sharing some reading time with more than 100 children and 30 or so parents, when they visited four schools in Quebec in underprivileged areas. Once again this year, actress and Gift of Reading^® spokesperson, Marie Turgeon, created some magic moments for these children by reading them a story, followed by a postcard rally and a draw for magnificent door prizes.

Her generosity made these visits highly memorable for all the participants, large and small, and for the team, not to mention the fact that the media were there to record the scene. This year, for the first time, on two of these visits a discussion/workshop was offered to the parents attending, presenting suggestions as to how to convey to children the love for and joy of reading.

Each year, these activities enable the Foundation to be in direct contact with children benefiting from the project, and allow the team the privilege of presenting the gift of a brand new book to the children in person!

École Lionel-Groulx, Longueuil

Tuesday, May 5, 2009

Kindergarten pupils brought out their brightest colours to take part in the postcard rally, under the curious gaze of the parents attending.
École Saint-Clément, Montreal Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Comfortably installed in their classroom’s reading area, Grade 1 pupils listened attentively to not one, not two, but three great stories!
École des Trois-Temps – Pavillon de l’Oiseau-Bleu, Saint-Lin–Laurentides Thursday, May 7, 2009
The children of Carrefour 6/11 ans, an Association carrefour famille Montcalm initiative targeting kids aged 6–11, had fun thinking up various fantastic sequels to the story of Les Trois Brigands (The Three Robbers), which had just been read to them.
École Saint-Nom-de-Jésus, Montreal Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Grade 2 students rushed to discover their new gift of a book, sometimes even two of them at a time!