Every little bit counts

A big thanks goes to Suncor for sponsoring the WordPower tour in Fort McMurray. There were six authors, one storyteller and one illustrator from Alberta that went to Fort McMurray. We are all members of the Young Alberta Book Society. Suncor works with YABS to get the authors up north and to the schools. Suncor's goal is to have presenters hit every school in the area. Authors were: Rob Feagan, Faye Holt, Rita Feutl, Don Meredith, Joan Marie Galat and myself. Cathy Jessup was the lone storyteller, (and can she tell stories), and Lorna Bennett, (who is amazing), was the lone illustrator. We had a wonderful time, despite the snow. Lots of snow. Did I say lots of snow. On the Tuesday we actually had a snow day because the school buses weren't running. Locals told us that was the first time in thirty years that the children of Fort McMurray had a snow day. Crazy. Unfortunately, the one school that missed out was Fort Chip because the presenters couldn't fly in. Next year!
Now...I have to give a huge thanks to the schools I went to: Westview, Timberlea, Sister Mary Phillips, St. Martha, and Fort McKay. You guys are awesome! I was treated like royalty. My partner in the school was Rita Feutl and she has a great book out! Check out all the authors who toured. I think you'll find all their books very, very interesting.
I think it's fabulous that Suncor sponsors this trip. It gets us presenters up north and it is a huge bonus for literacy. Literacy is a big topic right now and the more we can help the better our society will be. Even Anne Murray is on the literacy bandwagon. In a society full of Hollywood stars taking all the limelight, it's nice for children to think of authors and storytellers and illustrators as being interesting. I had one class who knew so many authors names that I was blown away. They thought their favorite authors were heros. How's that for awesome.
Now, I know my books are not like JK Rowlings, and I'm not famous like her, nor am I famous like Judy Blume or the woman who wrote "The Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants", but... maybe I'm still doing something good for society! Thanks to a company like Suncor who paid for me to do this tour, I was able to reach some students.
Every little bit counts.
My daughter has a drama teacher at school and she is unbelievable. I look at her and think, wow. You have done so much for the kids you teach. She has made them dig deep and she has encouraged them and her students do amazing work because she is their mentor.
Every little bit counts.
Every little bit counts.