Kiwanis Club focusing on literacy

The issue of literacy is expected to take centre stage this weekend when the Kiwanis Club observes a day of service on Saturday at the Luther Thorne Memorial Primary School in Wildey, St Michael.

The Kiwanis family in Barbados will join its global counterparts in observing the annual day of service known as Kiwanis One Day.

Lieutenant Governor Joycelyn Watts-Phillips, who leads District 27 of the Kiwanis in Eastern Canada and the Caribbean, said she decided that literacy will be the focus this year, with the event being held under the theme Let’s Read Again.

Her District covers Barbados, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Grenada and Antigua.

“We want to encourage children to read some more. If you are reading, your vocabulary is improved and you can write better essays and competitions, which are very important when there is the 11-plus exam going on,” Watts-Phillips said.

Watts-Phillips, who assumed the post of Lieutenant Governor at the beginning of October this year and is responsible for 18 clubs, said she believed literacy was a critical area.

“I think we need to encourage our children to read more,” she said.

She explained that during the past summer she found that some children did not have any books of their own but they were willing to read. This, she said, prompted her to focus on the area of literacy.

“I think that even if you have difficulty with reading, at least you should have your books at home. I know persons will say now you have the kindle and the tablet and all of those devices and that is true, but if you have those things and do not have anyone that is encouraging you to read then that is lost. I know that it is different now, but you need to read, no matter what,” she said.

During the event, which will run from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., officials are expected to give away new and used books to help children build or add to their home library. Authors of children’s books are also expected to be on location to do reading.

Watts-Phillip said the COVID-19 pandemic did not stop members of the Kiwanis Club from giving of their service.

“You sort of adapt to what was there. Whenever there are crises, you learn from them and we have learned from it. There is no going back after learning about Zoom and all the different things,” she added.

(MM)