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Oakville Literacy Council expands to keep up with demand A new Speers Road address is helping the Oakville Literacy Council meet increasing demand for its services. During a recent official opening event, volunteers, students, and staff welcomed visitors to the council's new location at 1200 Speers Rd. "More and more adults are learning of the necessity of improving their literacy skills in a difficult job market," said Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn. "I am delighted to hear the Ontario Trillium Foundation's grant will help the Oakville Literacy Council expand and continue to strengthen its program that improves the literacy skills of Oakville's adults." For many years, the council had a oneroom office in the basement of the Woodside Branch of the Oakville Public Library. This past summer, with financial support from the Ontario Trillium Foundation, the Oakville Literacy Council moved into a 1,000square-foot program office at 1200 Speers Rd. The space can accommodate recent increases in part-time staff and has a separate room for tutors and students to meet for lessons. The council also maintains its original office at Woodside Library. The Oakville Literacy Council is a charitable organization dedicated to helping adults improve their literacy skills. It is the only organization in Oakville offering free, customized, one-on-one tutoring to adult stuhours to support additional outreach, fundraising and partnership development, to increase the capacity of the organization to support literacy students. Martenson calls the Ontario Trillium Foundation funding "a solid foundation for growth." "Now we have to reach out to our friends and neighbours in Oakville to help us maintain and expand our resources and our capacity to help people," she said. "Oakville is growing and changing, and the job market is tougher than ever. More and more local adults need to upgrade their literacy skills. That increasing demand, combined with our commitment to individualized learning for students, puts stress on the limited resources of our organization." The Oakville Literacy Council currently has 70 students on its roster. In 2008, it served 53 students over the entire year. Although it trained twice as many volunteer tutors this year compared to last, all available tutors are now matched with students, leaving a list of students waiting for the next batch of tutors to be trained in February. "As we grow, we have an even better opportunity to strengthen our community," Martenson said. "That's an opportunity not to be missed." For more information about the Oakville Literacy Council, visit www.oakvilleliteracy.ca or call 905-469-8528. 11 · Tuesday, December 29, 2009 OAKVILLE BEAVER · www.oakvillebeaver.com MICHAEL IVANIN / SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER NEW LOCATION: On hand for the recent official opening of the Oakville Literacy Council's new office at 1200 Speers Rd. were (l-r) Bernie Martenson, president of the Oakville literacy Council, Oakville MPP Kevin Flynn and Gayle Wadden, a volunteer with the Ontario Trillium Foundation Local Grant Review Team. dents. our friends and show off the important work "We are delighted to have a larger pro- we do for the community." gram office," said Bernie Martenson, presiThe Ontario Trillium Foundation provided dent of the Oakville Literacy Council. "We a three-year, $157,200 grant in 2008 to the were eager to celebrate our expansion with Oakville Literacy Council to increase staff NEW YEARS - DAY PUBLIC AUCTION CANADIAN GOVERNMENT CERTIFIED DIAMONDS SEIZED - UNPAID - DEFAULTED Extremely valuable diamond jewellery: Government Certified. Many other imported investment calibre gold & diamond jewellery: Customs Cleared, Import Duties Paid. All Certified: GIA, GEMSCAN, EGL, ETC. PATEK ROLEX CARTIER PIAGET OMEGA CHOPARD PANERAI HUBLOT A AY JANUARY 1st, 2 t G FROM 1:00 P.M. - AUCTION AT 2:00 L LIDAY INN OAKVILL W WYECROFT ROAD (Q.E.W. & BRONT O All sales are final. No refund exchange or layaway. Payments: Visa, M.C., Debit, Cash and Certified Cheques. Some reserves may apply. Sale subject to additions, deletions, errors and omissions. 15% buyers premium & applicable taxes to be added. HERITAGE AUCTIONEERS. 416-799-7384