It’s Family Literacy Day and, for the Orillia and District Literacy Council (ODLC), it’s about more than reading.
The not-for-profit ODLC’s services do include help with reading, but it also assists people with computer, financial, math and life skills.
“One of the biggest problems is that people don’t know what we do. They think we just teach people to read,” said ODLC program manager Cathy Graham. “We help with almost anything they need.”
It takes a dedicated group of volunteer tutors to make that happen, and the ODLC is in need of more.
Before the COVID-19 pandemic, there were 15 to 20 tutors. There are currently four.
“I’ve lost more tutors than I have learners,” Graham said, noting most tutors are seniors. “They’re reluctant to come around. They don’t feel comfortable in group environments.”
Other than being closed for a few months last year, the organization has continued to provide its services. It has had to stagger attendance, with a maximum of six people in the Nottawasaga Street building at any given time.
The ODLC doesn’t offer many group classes, which makes it easier to carry on with programming, most of which is one-on-one.
“Everybody’s here for something different and they’re all working on their own learning plans,” Graham said. “We don’t have the capacity here to do everything online like the school board does.”
Another way the ODLC has an impact beyond literacy in the traditional sense is paying it forward.
For example, Graham and students recently knitted scarves to be donated to the Sharing Place Food Centre for its participants. Each scarf comes with a card detailing the ODLC’s services in the hope it will raise more awareness about the organization.
“I encourage everyone to explore their options,” Graham said. “There is always somebody out there who knows what they need to know and can help them.”
The theme for this year’s Family Literacy Day is Learning in the Great Outdoors. There are many lessons to be learned outside, said Graham, who encourages people to instill a love of reading and learning in their kids at a young age.
“Build learning into everything you do,” she said.
Those who get outside for a learning journey could win a prize. The ODLC invites people to post a photo of them doing something educational with family outdoors on its Facebook page.
On Jan. 31, one post will be chosen and the person who posted it will receive a cross-country ski package, including trail permits and ski rentals, from Hardwood Ski and Bike, valued at about $160.
To learn more about the ODLC, including how to volunteer or donate, check out its website.
