September Literacy Month

A group of people in 3 rows, the front row is kneeling. The people are holding purple props.

September is Literacy Month in British Columbia!

Each September, Decoda leads a province-wide awareness and fundraising campaign to celebrate Literacy Month.

The campaign highlights the importance of literacy and raises funds to support community-based literacy programs and initiatives across BC.

This year’s theme was “Literacy: The Ripple Effect”

Improved literacy skills have a ripple effect, helping to improve quality of life at home, at work and in the community.

Literacy Month in September 2024 raised over $43,000 to support literacy programs in BC. Thank you to our supporters.

The Team Trivia Challenge winners are…

Congratulations to team Best Guess 24, winners of the 2024 Decoda Literacy Team Trivia Challenge Cup. Thank you and congratulations to team Stanley is brat this year’s top fundraising team who raised $3,505!

Thank you to all literacy supporters for helping us meet our Matching Gift Challenge. All donations from the trivia event were matched $1 by $1 up to $10,000 thanks to First West Credit and its four locally known and trusted divisions: Envision Financial, Valley First, Island Savings and Enderby & District Financial.

Thank you to Blue Sky Clothing who presented a cheque for $19,207 from their Socks for Literacy sales. A big thanks to Dan Burritt from CBC Vancouver and Heather Deal for hosting. Thanks also to Nice Guys Trivia and the staff at Donnellan’s Irish Pub for their great work and service.

Thank you for playing the Team Trivia Challenge with us!

Literacy Ripple Effect contest draw winners

The four individual draw winners for a $50 Indigo gift certificate:

Hayden Voisey
Christine Shapovalov
Alexander Shapovalov
Claire Barz

For me, the ripple effect of literacy is …

“I read with Daddy. I like Little Blue Truck at bedtime.” – Hayden, age 3.5

“For me, the ripple effect of literacy is my 3-year-old can play board games with siblings. My 6-year-old can count his money and spend/save it. My 8-year-old can read music notes and play piano. My 10-year-old can read high vocabulary picture books to our family. I can garden and follow instructions from the seed packages. I can share my literacy skills with others.” – Christine Shapovalov

“that I learned a new language (English) and advanced my career with mathematics/physics to be a crane operator.” – Alexander Shapovalov

“the boundless spark of imagination and a lifelong journey of self-development. Through books, I have traveled to worlds beyond my own, explored different perspectives, and discovered endless possibilities. Literacy has been my greatest tool for personal growth, helping me cultivate new skills, challenge myself, and continuously evolve. It’s the foundation upon which I build my dreams, turning knowledge into action and inspiration into achievement. Each book I read not only shapes my mind but also pushes me to become the best version of myself.” – Claire Barz

The class draw winner of a $200 gift card is:

Mount Waddington Family Literacy Society

Here is a selection of answers from the class:

For me, the ripple effect of literacy is …

“Gaining and passing on knowledge to your family and children.”

“Being able to communicate properly and talk better.”

“I’m less afraid of my computer now that I know more about how to delete emails. It was such an obstacle facing all those emails, and every day there’s more. I feel less stress now.”

Thank you for playing the Team Trivia Challenge with us this year! Check back for details on next year’s event.

Buy merino wool socks online from our partner Blue Sky Clothing or at one of its nine BC stores.

$1 from every pair goes to support local literacy programs!

Our “Socks for literacy!” campaign helps make sure children and families, youth, adults and seniors have the literacy skills they need at home, at work and in the community.

Thank you to Blue Sky Clothing for supporting literacy in BC!

Read the story of Blue Sky Clothing Co owner Marilyn Cobban’s journey to success and why she supports literacy.