UNBC Adjunct Professor, Paul Michel, is the storyteller at the Bannock and Books Family Literacy event

Prince George, B.C. – Parents and tots, grandparents and tweens – they were all in attendance for ‘Bannock and Books’ at the Prince George Native Friendship Centre yesterday.

The event – co-sponsored by the Centre’s Learning Circle Literacy Program and the Prince George Literacy Outreach Program – was one of several in the city marking Family Literacy Day this week.  Another goes this afternoon at the Bob Harkins branch of the Prince George Public Library this afternoon between 1pm and 3pm – it’s a frog-themed celebration, with activity stations across the library that’s open to the public.

Those in attendance at the Native Friendship Centre yesterday were treated to Paul Michel’s storytelling.  Michel, an Adjunct Professor in First Nation Studies at UNBC, captivated the crowd with the traditional tale of naughty coyote which explains the creation of Crater Lake in Oregon.  There were also games and puzzles on-hand, bannock and stew being served up, and a session on health and fun fitness.

Learning Circle Literacy Program Coordinator, Carolyn Tiefensee, says she was pleased with the turn-out, and the wide cross-section of the community in attendance.  "We are so pleased to invite the community into the Friendship Centre and to share in Family Literacy Day.  It is important to get the word out about literacy and literacy initiatives."

The Learning Circle program is open to all youth and adults in the community and offers support on everything from learning to read and write, to upgrading skills for the GED, to  offering pratical support for drivers’ licence applications.  "Some kids come for life skills – we offer a wide variety of programs, depending on learners’ needs," says Tiefensee.

PG Literacy Outreach Coordinator, Helen Domshy, says 46-percent of Canadian citizens don’t have the necessary literacy skills to cope with today’s society.  Domshy’s position was created four years ago as part of the provincial government’s 2010 Legacy Now commitment to improving literacy rates in B.C.. Since then, she’s been partnering with the Native Friendship Centre, the Prince George Public Library, School District 57, CNC, UNBC and the North John Howard Society to meet literacy challenges in Prince George.

Domshy says, "In Prince George, we felt there was a gap in adult literacy, so we started ‘Train the Tutor’ program so we could take community members and teach them how to tutor other adults.  And we now have 64 or 65 trained tutors."

Domshy says her funding will be cutback next year, but she says she’s hopeful she’s made strong enough connections over the past four years that she’ll still be able to forward ‘the cause’ by collaborating with other agencies.  Tiefensee says with attendence at this year’s ‘Bannock and Books’ event tripling to approximately 120 people from last year, she’s looking forward to next year.