The Rota
ry Summer Literacy Program is celebrating the 20th Anniversary. It all started with a small group of children one summer at Robert Land School and moved to Cathy Wever School in the Wever CORE with hundreds of participants each summer from across our city! The 20
th anniversary year program took place in two city parks with many COVID-19 precautions.
The Rotary Summer Literacy Program is a free program that focuses on literacy. It is designed to engage, enrich, educate, and excite, creating a truly special learning experience for one and all. Program Director Rob Blunsdon and his team make the Rotary Summer Literacy Program a wonderful experience each and every day!
The Rotary Summer Literacy is a signature program of the Rotary Club of Hamilton with the support of a number of partners, the program is
offered each summer at no fee to families. This summer - increased costs and challenges around the COVID -19 pandemic almost saw the cancelation of the program. Thanks to an additional donation of $10,000 from a supporter of Rotary Literacy, the program took place with all the PPE and safety precautions included. In addition to the program, the Leaders In Action Program provides skill-based workforce readiness skills for youth (14-16 yrs) who become councilors at the Rotary Summer Literacy Program.
Members of the Rotary Club of Hamilton and Friends of Rotary volunteer to be Rotarians of the Day at the start of the Rotary Summer Literacy Program each day, including participating in the read-a-loud and morning community-sing-a-long. The Rotary Club of Hamilton is proud to offer children in Kindergarten to Grade 5 the Rotary Summer Literacy Program IN THE PARK. “To Celebrate our 20th Anniversary and to be able to offer free, safe programming during the COVID-19 Pandemic was an important project for our Rotary club,” said President Alex Moroz.
The Rotary Summer Literacy Program ran FIVE – 90-minute sessions each week. The program took place outdoors in the park and had all the fun learning elements to get participants ready for back to school! Our councilors engaged, guided participants with independent reading and writing activities, and had FUN! The Rotary Summer Literacy Program offered one week of camp at TB McQueston Park on Hamilton Mountain and at Woodlands Park in the inner city.
