It's summer, and children are out of school. While it's a time to relax and play, it's also important for kids to keep their minds active through reading and learning. But access to books and fun, engaging activities are not available to all children in Canada. That's where you can help!
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"Camp isn’t about sitting the kids down and explaining phonics…. It is about learning together from the books we have and the experiences we share as a group. Kids have something to fill their days with and a positive place to be, with someone to listen to their stories."
– Emily, Camp Counsellor, Fort Albany First Nation, Ontario
My name is Cathy Mehagan and I’m the Regional Manager for Northern Ontario based in Thunder Bay. I have been with United for Literacy (formerly Frontier College) for close to 15 years and manage Ontario's camp program: the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario’s Summer Literacy Camp in partnership with Indigenous communities. As Emily says, our camps are a unique learning experience—for campers and counsellors alike!
Summer Literacy Camps began in Northern Ontario almost 20 years ago and now offer lively—and educational—opportunities for children across Canada! Our camps are free to families, thanks to our generous donors and funders. I hope you will consider making a real and lasting difference through a gift to United for Literacy.
I wish I could show you all the friendships made, bursts of creativity, and the "a-ha!" moments when an activity sparks a child's imagination. Then you would see the impact you can make in these children’s lives. Filling their summers with reading, crafts, healthy snacks, physical activity, and educational games would not be possible without your vital support.
The joy I see when a child discovers their favourite new book inspires me to do more to ensure this will happen each year. That’s why I became a monthly donor. Making a scheduled donation—of any amount—helps us plan a bright future for kids across Canada. I hope you will join me in being a monthly donor to United for Literacy and providing a stable source of funding—not only for our camps but for year-round literacy and numeracy programs for children, youth, and adults around the country.
A love of reading or curiosity about learning new things is a key determinant of future success. So, we introduce campers to activities and experiences that spark their imaginations and encourage exploration. For example, cooking and baking are learning opportunities that campers adore AND strengthen their core skills of reading, measurement and fractions, sequencing, and more. When they finish cooking, they eat together, which builds community and shared purpose. Summer Literacy Camps allow the children to be together, exploring new learning opportunities and reading as many books a day as they can. Thanks to the generosity of people like you, campers can take these books home to enjoy for years to come.
Our vision, shared by our community partners and donors , is that camp programming strengthens a year-round culture of literacy and learning. We strive to be an inspiration for other community-led learning initiatives.
We are grateful to the children, parents, Elders, and community leaders who welcome us into their communities each summer. We are excited for Summer 2023 and everything that we can learn and discover together. I hope you’ll help more children find the simple joy of reading by donating to United for Literacy today.
You can donate on our website or by calling 1-800-555-6523 x: 3324.
With my most sincere thanks,
Cathy Mehagan
Regional Manager, Northern Ontario
United for Literacy
