Editor, The Times:
On behalf of Raft River Elementary School parents' advisory committee, I would like to extend a deep appreciation to our community for its generous support of Raft River PAC this past year.
We had a number of successful fundraisers that have allowed the PAC to purchase new equipment for the school, including play equipment, sport equipment and additional technology for the classes.
We have purchased a full set of teaching equipment for tennis as a result of an exceptionally successful tennis clinic that was co-sponsored by RRPAC. We have targeted funds for school year 2013/14 that will see classes attend theatre performances in Kamloops. When our community supports RR PAC, it is guaranteed to have a positive impact on over 300 students. Your dollars are stretched and give value to our community.
In addition to our general fundraising, we would like to acknowledge the outstanding success of our literacy initiative.
At the beginning of the year, the RR Literacy Committee (as part of PAC) set a goal to raise $5,000, which would go to expanding and enhancing classroom libraries. What many people aren’t aware of is that books within classrooms are developed by teachers out of their own money. These are their tools of the trade, books are their hammers, drills and measuring tapes. Teachers new to the profession come with smaller resources or often are without these book resources because they haven’t taught a particular grade. More senior teachers likely have a larger selection of resources but they are often diminished because of being well worn or maybe the books didn’t make it back to the classes.
Raft River PAC recognized that this had become a crucial need for our students. Children who have access to books are more likely to read for enjoyment.
Classroom libraries can be a variety of genres including picture storybooks, biographies, novels, fiction and nonfiction material, poetry, magazines and any other type that would engage interest.
We had really great success raising funds by way of our November movie night, January Loonies for Literacy and February we did a Little Love for Literacy. Thank you to all families and community members that participated. This got the ball rolling and we have to give a huge shout out to the Royal Bank for taking on our project and extending close to $500 from the proceeds of its ongoing in-branch book sale. .
We also wish to thank Wells Gray Community Forests for its support by way of a $2,000 grant to help with the project and to the leveraging dollars from Raise a Reader as part of the Literacy Outreach here in Clearwater by way of Yellowhead Community Services. All told, we have been able to achieve our goal of $5,000.
The funds will be spent in September by the teachers and administration once each class has been assessed for needs.
Despite the advantages of technology, there still remains a belief that books are the windows to the world and literacy is the doorway to opportunities. We are fortunate to live in a community that places value on expanding opportunities for our youth. Thank you to all who supported this invaluable project.
Shelley Sim
Raft River PAC and Literacy Group
Clearwater, B.C.