As an organization, we have continued to provide literacy programs to our community.  In the past year, our programs and initiatives included Conversations with Grandparents, the Let’s Learn booklet and video, Family Literacy Day Celebrations and the Adult Learner’s Writing Contest. For the coming year, we are developing a community asset map which will connect parents and educators to family literacy programs and supports throughout the province.

As you are aware, the provincial government will be implementing its literacy strategy for the Province of New Brunswick.  This is an ambitious and an exciting initiative by the Province of New Brunswick to raise literacy levels and we hope as an organization to be able to assist and partner with the Province of New Brunswick in this worthwhile endeavor.

Our organization, has continued to fundraise.  Last April, we held the Peter Gzowski Literacy Dinner in Fredericton and it was a huge success.  This was our best attended dinner to date and we raised approximately $30,000.00 from the dinner and auction.  We thank Bob Scott and his team who took the lead in organizing this successful event.  We have already starting planning next year’s event which will be held on April 24, 2018.  We hope you will be able to attend and support the valuable literacy programs which benefit from this event. Our fundraising from the PGI dinner and other events, allows us to distribute funds for community literacy programs and support the advancement of literacy in New Brunswick.

We continue to recognize and celebrate literacy programs throughout the province with the Marilyn Trenholm Counsel Awards.  In these awards, we recognize individuals and organizations who have made exceptional contributions to literacy throughout the province.  The awards for this year will be held on October 4, 2017 and I encourage you to attend to help honour these worthy individuals and organizations who work so hard to improve literacy in New Brunswick.

We also continue to work with our members and partner organizations to address literacy issues around the Province of New Brunswick.  We share knowledge, information and best practices about literacy which result in better delivery of programs.

The work of this organization would not be possible without the hard work of our Executive Director, Lynda Homer, who has recently joined us.  Lynda, who had worked with our organization in the past, has proven an invaluable member of the team.  This team also includes Matthew Garneau who does an excellent job in communications and Judy Wood who provides our accounting services.  We have a Board of Directors and Executive who tirelessly contribute their time and expertise to the management of this worthwhile organization and I thank each and every one of them for their commitment to literacy in New Brunswick.

The Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick is committed to fostering and improving literacy in the Province of New Brunswick and it would not be possible without our partner organizations and individuals like yourselves.  We thank you for your support.

 

 

Brent Melanson

President, Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick

It’s our pleasure to introduce to you the newest member of our team: Ben Whitney. He will be working as Communications Officer during the summer months.

Ben has just completed the first year of his law degree from the University of New Brunswick. He also has a BBA in marketing and entrepreneurship and a certificate in contemporary ethical theory. He has most recently worked as President and CEO of the University of New Brunswick Student Union, representing over 6,000 full time students. In this role he has worked with student advocacy organizations, universities, government and many others. Additionally, Ben has worked in marketing and has held positions on numerous boards and committees.

Ben is excited to be joining the team at the Literacy Coalition of NB and looks forward to the coming months!