August 4, 2021 — FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

With no funds from the annual Peter Gzowski Invitational (PGI) available this summer, the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick instead used funds from the Marian Zaichkowski Endowment Fund to provide grants to nine literacy programs which struggled due to the pandemic.

LCNB was unable to host its annual PGI event this year due to COVID-19. This meant that many programs across New Brunswick missed out on PGI funding.

11 applications for grants were received and a total of $11,000 was distributed to the following programs: Friends of the Fredericton Public Library, Carleton North Imagination Library Inc., Upper Miramichi Community School Library Summer Tutoring Program, Sussex Regional Library Summer Program, Adult Literacy Fredericton, MGR Robichaud Public Library, Hampton Alliance for Lifelong Learning Summer Family Literacy Program, Commission de la Bibliothèque Carrefour Beausoleil, and Bibliothèque publique de Grand-Sault.

“Despite not being able to host our annual PGI this year, we were glad to be able to support these very worthy literacy programs that have struggled financially due to COVID,” said Executive Director, Lynda Homer. “The work they do is extremely important.”

The distributed funds are being used for everything from community story walks to one-on-one tutoring programs.

“We are very appreciative of the literacy grant and are doing really great things with the grant,” said Krista Higgins, Library Assistant at the Upper Miramichi Community Library. “We have great students enrolled and are seeing really positive results–and very thankful parents, guardians, and students.”

The LCNB Endowment Fund was established in 2004 and renamed the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick Marian Zaichkowski Endowment Fund in 2008 to honour the founding chair.

“We look forward to when we can host the PGI again, but for now we are proud to be able to distribute nine grants,” Homer said.

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick provides leadership to advance literacy, lifelong learning and essential skills for all citizens through partnerships and collaboration with government, educational institutions, business, labour, community organizations and individuals.

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For more information contact Lynda Homer, LCNB Executive Director

(506) 457-1227 or toll-free: 1 (800) 563-2211 or email: lcnb@nbliteracy.ca

Additional links:

Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick: https://nbliteracy.ca/

Once your Passport is complete, submit it at the final location before September 6th to be entered into a draw for one of five autographed Moonbeam books and Moonbeam T-shirts! Additionally, when you hand in your completed Passport, you will receive a 2 for 1 admission coupon for Science East (668 Brunswick St.).

As a special treat, Westminster Books (88 York St.) will be offering a 10% discount on the featured book, Moonbeam.

Join Gail and the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick at Chapters (1381 Regent St.) Fredericton on August 10th at 3pm for the launch—and cake!

We’re excited to launch the training for our first cohort in the Employability Skills for the Health Sector (EES-HS) project! Our New Brunswick participants started their classroom training on May 17th and they are looking forward to more! They met in person with social distancing measures in place, but all of their classroom sessions are currently taking place online.

Learn more about our EES-HS project by clicking here!

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick is calling for nominations for the 2021 Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Literacy Awards. The awards recognize outstanding achievements of individuals or groups in the field of literacy, essential skills and lifelong learning. Awards will be presented to worthy recipients in the following categories: Early Childhood Literacy, Community Literacy Programs, Individual Outstanding Contributions to Literacy, Business/Corporate Literacy Initiatives, Workplace Essential Skills, and Outstanding Effort in Indigenous Literacy.

“The Dr. Marilyn Trenholme Counsell Literacy Awards recognize those who work tirelessly to help ensure a better quality of life for all New Brunswickers, through the advancement of literacy, essential skills and lifelong learning.”

The English nomination form can be downloaded here.

Version française ici.

Or you can find a downloadable version of both forms here.

Click here to see last year’s award winners and watch the Zoom ceremony.

Click here to see a list of past winners.

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick is holding their annual Adult Learner’s Writing Contest!

This year’s theme is “Learning Changes Lives”. Adult learners are invited to share their stories about why they returned to learning, how learning has changed their life, or will change their life and what their future goals may be. The stories will be featured on our social media during Adult Learner’s week and in an ebook which will be available on our website. The winners will have the opportunity to read their submissions and receive a framed certificate as well as a $100 prize at the 2021 PGI Literacy Dinner and auction.

Your story should be a maximum of 500 words in length or shorter. It should include:

• why you returned to learning
• how learning is changing your life or has changed your life
• your goals for the future
• your name and contacts (phone number, email and mailing address)
• name of your Learning Program
• your teacher’s name and contacts: (email and phone)

The deadline for submissions is Friday, March 26th, 2021.  Essays should be submitted by email to administration@nbliteracy.ca

To  view the essays from last year’s contest, click here.

If you have any questions, please contact Lynda Homer, Executive Director, LCNB at: 506-457-1227 or via email at: lcnb@nbliteracy.ca

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La Coalition pour l’alphabétisation du Nouveau-Brunswick organise son concours annuel d’écriture pour apprenants adultes!

Le thème de cette année est « L’apprentissage change des vies ». Les apprenants adultes sont invités à partager leurs histoires sur la raison pour laquelle ils ont fait un retour aux études, comment l’apprentissage a changé leur vie ou est en train de changer leur vie et leurs objectifs futurs. Les soumissions seront présentées sur nos médias sociaux pendant la semaine des apprenants adultes et dans un ebook qui sera disponible sur notre site Web. Les gagnants auront l’occasion de présenter leurs soumissions et recevront un certificat ainsi qu’un prix de 100$ au dîner de l’alphabétisation PGI 2021.

La soumission doit contenir jusqu’à 500 mots, mais il peut être plus court. Il doit inclure:

• pourquoi vous êtes retourné aux études
• comment l’apprentissage a changé votre vie ou est en train de changer votre vie
• vos objectifs futurs
• votre nom et vos coordonnées (numéro de téléphone, courriel et adresse postale)
• le nom de votre programme d’apprentissage
• le nom et les coordonnées de votre enseignant (courriel et téléphone)

La date limite pour les soumissions est le 26 mars 2021. S’il vous plaît envoyez votre soumission à administration@nbliteracy.ca

Pour voir les soumissions gagnantes de l’année dernière, cliquez ici.

Si vous avez des questions, veuillez contacter Lynda Homer, Directrice générale, LCNB au 506-457-1227 ou par courrier électronique au lcnb@nbliteracy.ca