In 1994 Carol Bossio organized the first Walk for Literacy in Parksville,
B.C. One hundred people walked to raise money to support The Write Place, where
Carol had learned to read and write.
In 1995 Carol connected with Ingrid
Braathen, a learner at the Adult Learning Centre in Courtney. That year, both
Carol and Ingrid organized walks in their communities.
The Walk for Literacy
has now become an annual event and spread to other communities in B.C. and the
Yukon.
Carol and Ingrid received a grant from the National Literacy
Secretariat (NLS) to write a book about the Walk for Literacy. Walk for
Literacy: A Step in the Right Direction is a step by step guide to
organizing a walk. The book was distributed to over 100 literacy organizations
across the country this spring.
To request a copy of the book, contact Literacy B.C.:
Phone:
1-800-663-1293
Fax: (604) 684-8520
An interview with Carol Bossio and Ingrid Braathen on the Walk for Literacy.
What motivated you to start the Walk for Literacy?
Carol: I wanted to give something back to The Write Place because they had changed my life and yet they constantly had to worry about getting funds. I also wanted my community to understand what The Write Place was doing for adults who have difficulty reading and writing. Because I felt so alone all my life, awareness about literacy was one of my most important motivations.
Ingrid: When I first met Carol I realized we had the same dream. I had just finished my upgrading program and I felt like I'd found life. I wanted to give back to the Centre what was given to me and to let others know that the Centre was there to help.
Why did you write the book?
Carol: Once Ingrid and I connected it motivated both of us to spread the walk across Canada. We wrote the book to inspire other learners and to let them know that if we can do it, so can they.
Ingrid: For years I thought I was nothing and all of a sudden here I was organizing a walk and talking to MLA's and business people. I wanted everybody to know what the walk could do.
How did you design the book?
Carol: The most important thing to us was that it be easy to read and in plain language because this book is for learners. We didn't put any page numbers in the book because sometimes people have trouble with numbers. So we colour coordinated the different sections and all the colours represent a rainbow. We have every colour in the rainbow in the book and the cover represents the sky.
Ingrid: Everything in the book means something. There are footprints on each page of the book but the footprints aren't filled in. That's because when we start out we're dealing with our disability and we're scared. But as we keep learning, our footprints become more solid because then we're walking with confidence. The footprints on every page represent the steps we take in our struggle to learn, and they also represent the steps to take in creating a walk. Each time you turn a page, you see the next step.
Tell us your dream.
Carol: Our dream is to have every community in Canada walk for
literacy at the same time on the same day each year. It will be like holding
hands across the country and spreading the message together.
Ingrid:
I know the spark and the fire and the commitment that's in me. It's going to
happen.
