CHILLIWACK TIMES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 A11

City Wide Literacy Challenge January 1-21, 2009

Jan 1 Jan 2 Jan 3 Jan 4 Jan 5 Jan 6 Jan 7 Jan 8 Jan 9 Jan 10 Jan 11

Jan 12 Jan 13 Jan 14 Jan 15 Jan 16 Jan 17 Jan 18 Jan 19 Jan 20 Jan 21

Read as many days as you can from January 1-21. Drop off your completed passports before January 26 at 12noon to be eligible to win some great prizes. Passports can be dropped off at the

following locations: Any Public School (only until Jan 22), YMCA - 45844 Hocking Ave, City Hall - 8550 Young Rd, Chilliwack Library - 45860 First Ave, Yarrow Library - 4670 Community St,

Chilliwack Times - 45951 Trethewey Ave, Ecole LaVerendrye - 6610 Lickman Rd, Chilliwack Chamber of Commerce - 45966 Yale Rd, UFV - 45635 Yale Rd, Building A, Reception Desk and

The Bookman - 5939 Wellingston Ave.

Your Name: _______________________________________________

Phone Number: ____________________________________________

Age: ❏ 2-4 ❏ 5-11 ❏ 12-18 ❏ 19-64 ❏ 65+

A member of the Chilliwack Learning Community Society would be pleased to contact you if you are interested in:

❏ volunteering in a literacy program ❏ becoming a volunteer tutor ❏ joining a literacy committee

❏ donating to a Community Literacy Program. Your name and phone number will not be used for any other purposes.

✂✂

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News

BY KEN GOUDSWAARDkgoudswaard@chilliwacktimes.com

The theory behind the City Wide Literacy Challenge is simple: It takes 21 days to form a habit and they want reading to be

your new healthy habit.The challenge is to read for 20 min-

utes a day for 21 days starting Jan. 1, 2009. In order to track your progress and to make you eligible for some great prizes, a passport (provided below) needs to be checked off.

The literacy challenge is part of a concerted effort by the Chilliwack Learning Community Society, Chilli-wack Early Years Committee and the Chilliwack Times to raise local aware-ness, culminating with a celebration of National Family Literacy Day Jan. 27.

Reading can take you anywhere your imagination is willing to travel and organizers hope the City Wide Literacy Challenge passport is your ticket to ride. The benefits of a more literate community are numerous and go well beyond the skill of being able to read.

“Raising literacy levels means that as a community of people we are open to the concept of ‘lifelong learning,’” says Debbie Denault, Chilliwack Communi-ty Literacy Coordinator. “It means that we value learning for others and our-selves in the community. A community that cares about everyone’s learning—including those who are most vulner-able, isolated or who currently have the lowest literacy levels—benefits because more people are better equipped to

move forward in life.”And in these uncertain economic

times, literacy becomes even more valuable.

“There is a link between learning and the economy,” says Denault. “For example, during this time of ‘economic uncertainty’ some people will have a plan of how to ‘ride the wave’ or buffer themselves, and oth-ers will not. The range of what people could learn about at this time is immense. Per-haps one person will focus on understanding the world eco-nomic picture because that’s impor-tant to him or her; while someone else will focus on making changes to their budget, learning to sew or making cookies from scratch; or someone else will decide that it’s really time to learn that new skill in order to make more

money—it’s individual and impor-tant—particularly when it helps you, your family or someone else.”

One of the keys to literacy success is starting early, and making reading fun is important.

“If moms read to their babies even before they are born, the baby starts to recognize the changes in mom’s voice as she reads,” says Karin Rempel, Chilliwack Early Years Community Coordinator. “They start to understand words and what they mean. If they are read to as they grow, they will associate reading with comfort and a sense of security. Once they can read on their own, they will be able to open a world of knowledge and understanding for themselves.”

And parents shouldn’t be deterred from reading to their child(ren) even if their own literacy skills are low.

“I hear moms say that they aren’t very good readers—remember that you only have to read at the level your child is at,” says Rempel. “If you read your baby board books, you are not only

benefiting baby, you are also practising and improving your own reading skills.”

City Wide Literacy Challenge organizers are particularly excited about the “corporate challenge” compo-nent. And there are plenty of things busi-nesses can do as part of the challenge.

“Challenge your competition or your neighbouring businesses to see who can raise aware-ness for literacy,” says Michael Berger, Workplace Essential Skills Project Coordinator with the Chilliwack Learn-ing Community Society. “Hold a

Lifelong

LearningA special series that takes a closer look at how our

community is responding to the literacy challenge.

Up for the challengeMaking daily reading a healthy habit aim of city wide event

See LITERACY, Page 13

CHILLIWACK TIMES FRIDAY, DECEMBER 12, 2008 A13

readathon. Buy books for your employees’ children. Host a guest speaker from the Chilliwack Learning Community Society. Read to your staff during coffee breaks or team meetings. Share a business book.

For businesses that want to get more involved, they can support literacy by hosting a free book bin in their staff room or waiting area, donate to a literacy program or host a literacy workshop. The Chilliwack Learning Community Soci-ety also offers free courses on becoming a literacy tutor. Employees can take the course and then learn to tutor or mentor one another.

“By increasing their literacy skills, workers may find it easier to develop their career, get promoted, or find a greater variety of mean-ingful work,” says Berger. “Higher literacy skills increases workers likelihood of job security and enhances their employability

overall.”But literacy goes well

beyond the workplace. “It affects their everyday

life,” says Berger. “Trends show that people with greater literacy skills tend to be healthier, lead safer lives, often earn more, become more involved in their community, have increased self-esteem and

confidence, and generally lead more satisfy-ing lives. Isn’t that what most people want out of life?”

THE SERIES AHEAD✓ Adult & Workplace Learning✓ Seniors & Lifelong Learning

LITERACY, from page 12

Businesses challenged to read

News

Chilliwack RCMP are looking for any information to help them catch two suspects who wore Halloween masks

while robbing a convenience store Tuesday evening.

Police received a report that someone robbed the Padmore’s Quick Shop at 9701 Menzies St. about 8:55 p.m. Two males had entered the store demanding money and

were given an undisclosed amount. One of them produced a knife to hold up the store, but no one was hurt during the incident.

The two then fled on foot and were last seen heading north on Menzies Street. Both males were described as between 5’8” and 5’10” tall, were wearing dark clothing and Halloween masks.

Police responded immediately, established a perimeter, and used a police dog but could not locate the suspects. This crime is being actively investigated, and anyone with infor-mation is asked to call the Chilliwack RCMP at 604-792-4611, or provide information anonymously through Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS or online at www.chilliwack-crimestoppers.ca.

- Staff

Halloween masks wornduring store robberyPadmore’s hit by pair of robbers, one of whom showed clerk a knife

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Did you enjoy this column?If you would like to read more “Road Rules” go to

www.chilliwacktimes.com & click on the Road Rules icon.

Death in the HOV LaneOn a recent late-November Saturday morning, a Toyota mini-van stopped in the east-bound High Occupancy Vehicle (HOV) lane on Highway 1 near United Boulevard in Coquitlam. A passersby later report-ed seeing smoke inside the passenger compart-ment. On this typically busy stretch of highway, the shoulder (left of the HOV lane) is wide enough for a vehicle to at least pull over out of the lane altogether. But reportedly that is not what happened.

It is not clear how much time elapsed between when the minivan stopped and when it was rear ended by a BMW SUV driven by a 26-year-old driver with no passengers. His vehicle spun out 90° and was immediately hit by the car behind driven by a 35-year-old woman with no passengers.

All the minivan occupants were family members. The mother was the driver and the other seven passengers included her four sons aged 1, 6, 8 and 9, their grand-mother aged 74, and their great aunt aged 76. The baby was buckled in a car seat. The other three brothers were sitting in the rear bench seat. All three broth-ers were hospitalized with life-threatening injuries to which two of them succumbed the following day.

As of the time of writing, the third brother remains in serious condition with a spinal injury. The two older female passengers were also seriously injured. The parents and the baby were released from hospital the same day. The BMW driver was unin-jured and the driver of the third vehicle was treated for minor injuries.

This tragedy has highlighted one of the

well-known problems with HOV lanes and sparked an outpouring of anger and frustration about the frequency with which the law is ignored by lone drivers who treat the HOV lane as a high speed extra passing lane. Some have gone so far as to call them a hazard that should be eliminat-ed, also citing research on HOV lanes in the San Francisco Bay area con-

cluding that HOV lanes “do not signifi-cantly increase the throughput of people; and…do not encourage carpooling.”

While Canadian statistics on the effec-tiveness of HOV lanes in reducing traf-fic congestion, reducing travel time, and increasing transit ridership appear to be in short supply, a year-old Transport Canada report highlights the critical importance of law enforcement to their effectiveness and safety.

A police spokesman addressing the minivan crash did point out that “police routinely enforce the HOV regulations on Highway 1 and issue about 400 tickets every three months.” He also said that the drivers of the two rear-ending vehicles—both driving alone and thus in breach of the law requir-ing occupancy of at least two persons—will be charged under the BC Motor Vehicle Act which carries a fine of $121 and 2 demerit points.

HOV lane issues, however, were not the only contributor to this tragedy. Stopped vehicles in any lane in flowing traffic are extremely vulnerable. Stopped emergency vehicles with all flashers going even seem to attract other vehicles with similarly horrific results in what is called the “moth effect.”

THE ROAD RULES

Cedric Hughes Barrister & Solicitor

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