What began as a trip on the high seas to the Nanaimo Correctional Centre and our U LOCK Storage locker, waiting for ferries, a 3 hour drive up the Coquihalla Highway to Merritt and a short drive to ROCKY PINES our LRT’s Margaret, Carol, Liz and Marion (sorry to miss Barb this trip) working very hard – our 17th learning centre was installed.
I have great admiration for our team as the air conditioning was not working in the learning centre (the professionals tried everything to get it going) and as such the ladies had to work through 90 degree heat. I am glad we shut down early due to the heat however Chris Bur and myself went back later that evening to instal the TV and computers it went up to 99….. quickly opening the doors and window we were able to get it down to a respectable 90.
Now we just have to wait for the amazing donation of new aboriginal books from GOODMINDS. The largest donation yet, 1,000 books..(pre school to adult) an $18,000 gift. Thank you Jeff Burnham for this wonderful gift to the community.
What started off as a small idea to provide a modular trailer to serve as a library for the Toosie band in Riske Creek has taken off like wildfire. The Lt. Governor’s Aboriginal Literacy Project is now expanding exponentially as the word gets out. One key figure on the project is ex-Rotary Governor Bob Blacker, who has been acting as the “point man” in much of the progress.
His Honour Steven Point and aid de camp Bob Blacker (left) have toured many First Nations communities
Travelling as an aid de camp with His Honour Stephen Point to many isolated communities around the province, Blacker has assisted in making key partnerships between Rotary clubs and various First Nations. Special to the Write to Read website, Blacker files the following report.
1. RIVERS INLET
Progress for the Rivers Inlet Project (Wuikinuxv or Oweekeno) has been exceptional. As a result of the two trips that we have had going into Oweekeno with Christoph Neufeld from Britco and our architect Scott Kemp has produced plans for the building, and a supplies list of required materials. The two trips have now enabled us to have Vancouver Coastal Health as a partner, as they have provided us with a means to apply for $25,000 to go towards the construction of the building.
The building itself has expanded exponentially as a result of meeting with the Oweekeno team and brainstorming what would work for the community. This meeting produced what we now call the Child of the Big House and it will 80′ x 110′, it will have a concrete pad 6″ thick reinforced with re-bar. As you can imagine the amount of cement we would require is daunting which caused us to look for a cement batch plant that would make the cement in a quarter of the time if we brought in small mixers. With that in mind the community and I went on a search to find such a plant, well as everything has gone with this project we have been able to find a supplier of such a machine and that company is willing to help us. This is huge as the cost would have been prohibitive to pay for this particular machine.
Schools and libraries, such as this one in Port Simpson, are integral to the growth of literacy
I am in the process of speaking with the company Surespan. Scott Kemp and I have spoken with the Richmond Firefighters and have left them with plans of the building. They are very anxious to get moving but because of the summer leave factor cannot start until September. Now that we have a batch plant for the foundations and cement pad the scheduling of the firefighters will be a lot easier and we feel we should have the pad done before the end of September and be well on the way in constructing the building.
Western Forrest Products and Interfor are donating the logs to the community. The community in turn will be milling the lumber as to the specs provided by Scott Kemp. Of interest we need two beams 110′ in length. The community and the two lumber companies are looking for those two trees as we speak and are very confident that we can find them. If we do the Creator again is working with us. This by far is the largest project we have ever done with the Government House/Rotary Literacy Project. Logistically it has been a huge challenge but we have managed to work our way through it.
2. HALALT / LYACKSON
This community is just south of Chemainus and came to our notice in January. The Success by 6 Coordinator for the area, Ada Mawson approached me in relation to providing a library for the community. As a result Ada, Christoph Neufeld and myself attend a meeting at Halalt in March. There is a definite need for a community Library and as a result we are now working with the community to locate a Britco module on site. Things are moving very quickly with the community as they have been committed to make this work and are doing everything that will ensure this will happen. The Rotary Club of Steveston, Chemainus and Parksville will be partnering together on this project. We expect the library to be ready for opening by His Honour before his term ends.
3. KLEMTU
This community is now firmly on our radar and I have now secured a Rotary Club to adopt the community. The Rotary Club of Saanich (after His Honour’s recent visit) will be adopting the community to start working towards a library/cultural centre. The club along with Brenda Rothwell (Success by 6), His Honor and myself need to go into the community to set things up to start the process of planning and bringing in the Britco module.
His Honour Stephen Point met with aboriginal leaders in Haida Gwaii
4. OLD MASSETT
We have had our first conference with the band members from Old Massett, myself, Beng Favreau (Literacy Haida Gwaii) and Christoph Neufeld from Britco. What has to happen now is for me to find a Rotary Club to adopt the community and start working towards getting a Britco module to the community for the first ever Aboriginal Library. The community are very excited that we are preparing to do that, having visited the community with His Honour has made it easier to get things done.
The Watchmen stand careful guard over Haida legacies in the village of Ninstints
5. FORT RUPERT
As a result of visiting this community recently with His Honour & Jamie we have had positive responses from the community. Brenda Rothwell and I, along with a representative from the community, are now going to start the process of having our first ever Elders library, specifically for the elders to go and relax, read and do their crafts. This has been something that the community really wanted so Brenda and I are setting up a conference to get things moving.
6. NEMIAH
Nemiah has just come on board in relation to wanting a community library. This is going to be another logistical challenge as Nemiah is on Chilco Lake which is 4.5-hrs drive from Williams Lake. Our Rotary folks on the ground in the area have told me that this community recently heard about the project and have seen what has happened in Toosey and Stone and are very excited that there is something like this that is available to them. Shirley Pat Gale, our main lead in the Chilcotin, has made contact with the community and we are going to set up a conference with them.
Computers are the key to literacy, as seen in the new library at Toosie
7. FORT WARE
This community has been on our radar for some time and it appears that we can get moving with them. I have two Rotary Clubs willing to partner with the community (located north of Williston Lake) so we are in the process of seeing what can be done. This location would be another huge logistical challenge to us.
8. GRAND OPENING OF THE YUNESITIN (Stone) LIBRARY CULTURAL CENTRE
We now have a date for the building to be opened, that will be September 11th, 2012 everything is moving along nicely, this is going to be a great day for His Honour and I as this is our second building to be opened.
We had our third clinic on July 12,13,14, 2012 at the Hulhetun Health Centre which is located just south of Chemainus. We looked at patients from 5 communities, Halalt, Lyackson, Chemainus, Penelakut, and Malahat. Because the health centre has a state of the art dental office we will be able to do root canals as we have the top specialist in Vancouver with us as part of our team. We are also making plans for the first ever clinic for the Chilcotin area. That will be held at Anahim, tentatively to take place September 2013.
This time the excitement was in Old Massett, which geography experts will identify as being located at the north end of Graham Island in Haida Gwaii. For those whose geography isn’t great, that’s the former Queen Charlotte Islands, found off the BC coast near Alaska.
The Haida people have lived here for many thousands of years. The elders have many stories to tell, and the new library of Old Massett will be a repository for that aboriginal history, perhaps the first First Nations library in all of Canada. Those books will be catalogued along with many other books for elders, kids and everybody to read.
Lt.Governor of British Columbia Judy Guichon, along with Principal Secretary to the Lt. Governor Jamie Hammond, were in attendance at the opening. They were joined by Christoph Neufeld of Britco Structures in Langley. To date, Britco has been the main sponsor of the Write to Read project, donating several buildings and paying for shipment.
Neufled flew up to Massett met with project organizer Beng Favreaux to open the new library on October 19th. It was a great event with many from the community attending. After the opening everyone adjourned to the community hall and enjoyed dinner with those from the community who could make it. There is no doubt that the library will make a difference in the community. The added bonus with having the computers is that many people will have access to the internet, something most do not currently enjoy.
BC Lt. Governor Judith Guichon was on hand March 26 to officially open the new library in Bella Bella. There is quite a story involved. Last year the library burned down under mysterious circumstances. It was housed in the town’s grocery store and cafe, which were forced to close as well. This forced island residents to take the ferry to Port Hardy just to buy groceries.
As the long process of restoration commenced, the Write to Read team went straight into action. Project coordinator Bob Blacker, along with RCMP Chief Superintendent
Dave Critchley, BritCo Structures Christoph Neufeld, and Brian Van Sickle of TLD Computers (London Drugs) flew to the community and made urgent arrangements to get a new library opened as soon as possible. The local champion in Bella Bella is Jess Housty, who coordinator the procedures. But how to get a library built?
Once again, BritCo stepped up to the plate and delivered. Yes indeed, BritCo donated yet another modular trailer to the cause! But there remained the issue of getting a 40-foot building from their Langley construction to Bella Bella, which is halfway up the BC Coast. This is where BC Ferries came in, offering to deliver the structure aboard one of their ferries at no charge. So Write to Read welcomes aboard a new partner in the project, BC Ferries.
There remained the issue of getting new books selected and sorted, which was done by the always reliable Write to Read Library Team. The final piece to put into place was the official opening by the senior partner in the entire campaign, the Lt. Governor. Her honour flew into Bella Bella this week and attended the official
library opening. Look for more good news on more library openings this spring and summer.
Good things take time. So delivering a library to Oweekeno, also known as Rivers Inlet, and having an official opening with the Lt. Governor of the province of B.C., was a challenge that certainly took some time to accomplish. However, as promised, her Honour Lt. Governor Judy Guichon was in attendance at the library opening April 24th completing yet another Write to Read library project.
Presiding at the ribbon cutting along with Her Honour were Chief Rose Hackett, elder Emma who blessed the building, and Lionsgate Rotary President Peter Hansen. They were joined at a dinner at the Big House by navy crew members of HMCS Calgary, where Executive Officer Lt. Commander Josh Yanchus was presented a ceremonial paddle by the Chief. Local youth were invited to spend four hours as a guest of the captain and crew of the HMCS Calgary as they sailed the Rivers Inlet area. Also in attendance were members of the RCMP on their regular visit to Oweekeno.
This library was sponsored by the members of the Lionsgate Rotary Club of North Vancouver, who raised the funds necessary to make it all happen. As with every library completed to date, the modular building was donated by Britco Structures of Langley. The LRT (Library Response Team) supervised the selection and cataloguing of books. The library will be operated by the Oweekeno community, who will employ a librarian to supervise the building.
Oweekeno is located south of Bella Bella on the coast, a remote location accessible only by boat or plane. Write to Read Project Coordinator, Rotarian Bob Blacker, reports that the North Arm Barge Company delivered the trailer, but at commercial rates. BC Ferries has been kind to assist with other deliveries along the coast, like Old Massett, although they were not involved in this project.
The total estimated cost of the project was $60,000 of which $20,000 was needed for the transportation of the module into the village. A generous donation from the Jack Gin Foundation enabled the team to pay for transportation of the module from Vancouver to Rivers Inlet.
Members of the Royal Family officially openedthe new Write to Read library in Ditidaht, a small village on Vancouver Island, last summer. A video of that event has been produced and can be viewed at the link below. Prince Edward, Earl of Wessex, and Princess Sophie, Countess of
Wessex, cut the ribbon. A feat was held and a ceremony honoured the “champion” of the library, teacher Eva Clarke. Log on to:
The Old Masset Library is now gifted to the Old Massett Village Council.
Lax Kw’alaams: The great news is that the furniture/shelving for the library is now being constructed by the Nanaimo Correctional Centre. We were able to meet up with the owner of WINDSOR PLYWOOD for Vancouver Island and not only did we get the plywood we were looking for at cost but also the owner Randal Jones donated to W2R $20,000 to be used towards the construction costs.
The plan is to have the Mission Rotary Club pick up the shelving in Nanaimo and drive it up to Port Hardy and then catch the overnight ferry to Prince Rupert. Next the club will deliver the shelving to Lax Kwa’laams and help with setting up the shelving and furniture. Finally, they will assist the LRT’s to set up the library and then drive back to Vancouver. Once the LRT’s have finished with the library and the computers and ipads are installed the library will be ready to open.
Metlakatla has been operating since early 2015 so it is ready for a grand opening.
Tsay Key Dene: The library is now onsite, the LRT’s have set up the library and First Nation books have been ordered. Once we have the computers installed in the library we will be ready to open it.
Yekoochee: Located on Stuart Lake near Fort Saint James the Principal of the Community School Eric Di Nozi contacted W2R for assistance to regenerate their school library and make it into a community library. Margaret Fletcher and myself attended the community in November 2015 and were able to see what needed to be done. Margaret and the LRT’s are now putting together the books, shelving will have to be made by NCC and we will have two Rotary clubs involved. One will gather the books and computer hardware and the other will deliver the shelving and assist in putting the library together. It is anticipated that this will occur during the summer, optimal time for travelling to the community.
Ahoushat: We have already visited the community and the LRT’s are now putting the books together. Furniture has to be made and delivered along with the LRT’s setting up the library. Probable opening in the fall.
Xeni Gweti’n: This is our very first Version 4 library (to be built on site). The opening is dependent on how the design and building will take place and funding for that to happen. Hopefully the Jack GIN Foundation will be support it. First we need to know exactly how much the library will cost to build.
Stz’uminus: This request has just come in. The community worked very hard to build their school but unfortunately did not have funding for their library. I will be visiting the school and will meet with the Principal Tim Harris and see what we can do.
Snunymuxv (Nanaimo): We had originally intended to receive a building from the Municipality of Oak Bay but had to withdraw our interest due to hidden costs. The Young Professionals of Nanaimo have decided we will build the same was as for Xeni Gweti’n. They have already raised $25,000 towards building and met with W2R Architect Scott KEMP for the design.
Klemtu: By far has been the most challenging to get into the community because of weather, transportation and funding for that. I see a light at the end of the tunnel, hopefully our funder is going to be able to participate in the building of a Version 4 library.
Quatsino: Located north west of Port Hardy this small community is in the process of designing and building a new pre-school designed by our architect Scott Kemp. They are adding into the design a portion of the building to be a community library.
Paachidaat: Located near Port Renfrew. Margaret Fletcher and I have to visit the community to start the process. Their territory is next to the ocean and vulnerable to any tsunami, so a proper site needs to be found.
Glen Vowell: Located near Kispiox, this community has been on our radar since last year. I have spoken with the Education Coordinator Barb McRae but need to visit the community.
KYUQUOT – Located on northwest Vancouver Island, I have to go back to the community with W2R Architect Scott KEMP and W2R Engineer Mike Herold to meet with the community to start the planning process for a Version 4 library. This visit has to take place when the weather is good as the road from Campbell River is very rough.
The opening of the new Write to Read library at the First Nation community of Nooaitch this summer was attended by a member of Shaw TV, who produced a video about the event. In attendance were Lt. Governor of BC the Honourable Judith Guichon, elders, band members, Rotarians, Britco Structures (who donated the modular building), TELUS Corporation, and a reporter from Shaw TV. The video is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhczPQWhxa4.
Where the heck is Quatsino, you ask? According to Wikipedia, it’s “a small hamlet of 91 people located on Quatsino Sound in Northern Vancouver Island, only accessible by boat or float plane.” Well, that’s not entirely correct. It’s a village, not a hamlet, about 15 kilometres south of Port Hardy, there are more than 91 people living there these days, & you can actually get there by road because the Write to Read team managed to do so by truck on February 7th, 2017, to deliver yet another library to another First Nations community in BC. Her Honour Judith Guichon, Lt. Governor of BC, was on hand as usual to celebrate the opening.
These days residents of Quatsino are employed in the forest, fishing, and eco-tourism industries. Some professionals also live there and practice their professions via the internet but Quatsino has an interesting history. The BC government at the 1893 Chicago Exposition offered free land to prospective colonists through Crown grants. A group of Norwegian farmers from Fargo, North Dakota jumped at the opportunity and in 1894 a steamboat arrived. The pioneers scouted out the area with help of the local First Nations. Thirty 80 acre lots were surveyed, a Post Office opened, a government wharf built, a saw-mill in operation, a general store opened and a monthly freight service from Victoria was established. Then a one-room school was built and a teacher hired to mentor 17 school aged children.
The community thrived over the years as mines were developed, the Port Alice pulp mill was built, forestry and mineral claims offices opened, fish canneries and processing plants constructed. The five room Quatsino Hotel plus several rental cabins were built for workers and visitors to the area. Mining and fishing declined and it wasn’t until the early 1970’s that telephone poles were installed and electricity arrived. Private phone lines became available in 1995 and opened up the community to internet service.
Today the first school is now St. Olaf’s Anglican Church. The “new” Quatsino School celebrated its 70th anniversary in 2004. The Quatsino Hotel has been renamed Eagle Manor Resort and attracts visitors from around the world. Changes to fishing regulations have resulted in the commercial fisheries largely being replaced by sport fishing. Currently several lodging and sports fishing charter facilities are operated with beautiful views of Drake Island and Quatsino Sound.
Where the heck is Ditidaht, you ask? Why, check the map! It’s a small native village right there on the shores of Nitinat Lake, about an hour’s drive west of Lake Cowichan on Vancouver Island. The main access is via a private logging road, not serviced in the winter months, so the village is quite isolated. In heavy rains, the road is flooded. However, it was a beautiful sunny day when a group of folks from the Write to Read Project journeyed over to enjoy a visit and check out the village’s request for a library.
Ditidaht is one of three closely related languages forming the south Wakashan sub-group of the Wakashan language family. Their American relatives across the Strait of Juan de Fuca live around Neah Bay in Washington State and speak Makah. Their neighbours living northwest from Pacheena Point speak Westcoast (also called Nuu-chah-nulh, but formerly called Nootka). No matter how you spell it, Ditidaht is remote.
Visitors arrived late in the day, just in time to settle into rooms at the motel and the “teacherage,” a six-plex of town houses where the teachers live. It was a 2-minute walk to the Community Hall, where a giant feast was laid out for the entire village (and visitors) to enjoy.
Visitors were welcomed by drumming, dancing and a welcome speech. The dances were led by the children, supported by male drummers. Afterwards, the kids posed for a group photo, with some making the usual silly faces for the camera. Freshly-harvested crab was the highlight of the feast, after which Write to Read project coordinator Bob Blacker got up to give a few words of thanks for the invitation to visit.
Formerly the Lt. Governor of the Province of British Columbia, Steven then shared some stories and advice to the children in attendance about the importance of reading. His story about Wiley Coyote was well received.
The highlight of the next day was a meeting with the chief and band officers at the band council office, where discussions were held about the possibility of bringing a library to the village. There are several options, one of which is to bring a modular building donated by Britco Structures of Langley, the main sponsor of the Write to Read Project to date. Another option might be to renovate the old school building, currently sitting empty. Talks were held about possible ways to bring new economic development to the village in the future, perhaps through eco-tourism.
The Write to Read group went to insect the old school building. Architect Scott Kemp, who has donated much of his time and skill to the W2R project to date, made a brief inspection and ventured his opinion that it was quite possible to upgrade the old school into a library.
Next up was a visit to the new school, where all the students assembled in the school gym to meet with Steven Point. Write to Read publicist Michael McCarthy spoke to the students about the Digital Diary project. He donated a professional quality camera to the high school class, with instructions that the kids should shoot photos of their lives in the village for future publication in a book.
It was an all-too-brief visit to the village, but the quick trip proved that a library of some sort, whether a modular Britco building or a renovation of the old school, is a project that can and should be done.
With kite boarding, wind surfing, canoeing, hiking and kayaking available around Nitinat lake, the Ditidaht region is an excellent location for the promotion of eco-tourism in the future.
There remained the issue of getting new books selected and sorted, which was done by the always reliable Write to Read Library Team. The final piece to put into place was the official opening by the senior partner in the entire campaign, the Lt. Governor. Her honour flew into Bella Bella this week and attended the official
The opening of the new Write to Read library at the First Nation community of Nooaitch this summer was attended by a member of Shaw TV, who produced a video about the event. In attendance were Lt. Governor of BC the Honourable Judith Guichon, elders, band members, Rotarians, Britco Structures (who donated the modular building), TELUS Corporation, and a reporter from Shaw TV. The video is available on YouTube at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhczPQWhxa4.
Where the heck is Quatsino, you ask? According to Wikipedia, it’s “a small hamlet of 91 people located on Quatsino Sound in Northern Vancouver Island, only accessible by boat or float plane.” Well, that’s not entirely correct. It’s a village, not a hamlet, about 15 kilometres south of Port Hardy, there are more than 91 people living there these days, & you can actually get there by road because the Write to Read team managed to do so by truck on February 7th, 2017, to deliver yet another library to another First Nations community in BC. Her Honour Judith Guichon, Lt. Governor of BC, was on hand as usual to celebrate the opening.
The community thrived over the years as mines were developed, the Port Alice pulp mill was built, forestry and mineral claims offices opened, fish canneries and processing plants constructed. The five room Quatsino Hotel plus several rental cabins were built for workers and visitors to the area. Mining and fishing declined and it wasn’t until the early 1970’s that telephone poles were installed and electricity arrived. Private phone lines became available in 1995 and opened up the community to internet service.