Society History
The Fort Nelson Community Literacy Society began with a community meeting back in May 2005. The meeting discussed what was needed to plan a Literacy Now initiative for Fort Nelson. Literacy Now is a government program designed to increase literacy in British Columbia as a lasting legacy of hosting the 2010 Olympic Games.
Organizer Val Keeler initiated a second meeting in January 2006, where 30 key members of the community attended to launch the start of the process.
A task force was formed; Lorraine Gerwing was contracted to prepare a community literacy profile and Val Keeler developed the Community Literacy Plan.
A charitable, non-profit society was to be formed with a coordinator to liaise with existing programs and initiate new literacy projects in the Fort Nelson community.
Julie Wade was hired as the Literacy Coordinator in 2007. Julie sourced additional program funding, secured and set up office space, and began the process of building partnerships for programming in the community.
The society soon hired two of its volunteers (Shayna Dolan as Family Literacy Coordinator and Robyn Chambers as ESL Coordinator) and Carmella Maga as bookkeeper.
With the Society up and running, a grand opening was held on December 1, 2007. Since then the society has developed into a key community service provider in the Fort Nelson community with partnerships and relationships formed to reach out to the people in our community.
Julie left Fort Nelson in August 2008 and new coordinator Heather Eling took over the role of building on the society's successes and striving to make the Society a continually more effective service for Fort Nelson.
In 2009, Robyn Chambers moved away from the area and Shayna Dolan left to continue her university studies.
Anne Jones started as English as a Second Language and Adult Learning Program Coordinator in May 2009.
Kiran Sidhu started as Family Literacy Programs Coordinator in August 2009.
In December 2009, Literacy Society Coordinator Heather Eling left to have a baby and Toni MacDonald took over the running of the Society as executive director.
Kiran left the literacy society in August 2010 to resume her university studies.
Anne left the literacy society in November 2010 to start her own business.
Cailey Robinson Bailey and Seanah Roper came to join the literacy society in November 2010. Cailey is the current Family Literacy Programs Coordinator, and Seanah is the English as a Second Language and Sikanni Adult Tutoring Programs Coordinator.