Colleen Harper Wins United Way 2019 Speaker of the Year Award

Learner and Board member Colleen Harper was recently recognized by the United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin with the 2019 Campaign Speaker of the Year Award.

Over the past few years, Colleen has spoken on behalf of Action Read on numerous occasions, which she always approaches with cheerfulness, openness and a relaxed attitude. She has touched countless lives with her charismatic, natural and warm personality, her quick wit, and her amazing storytelling skills. Colleen has explained to our United Way supporters and visitors in the most powerful way why organizations like Action Read need their support, and why they make a difference in people’s lives. In always speaking from the heart and from lived experience, she makes people feel happy and appreciated, validated and motivated to donate or to get involved in their community. When announcing the award recipient, the United Way presenter reported that Colleen had touched more people’s minds and hearts than any other agency speaker they had heard in the 'Seeing is Believing Tours'.

All of us at Action Read greatly appreciate all that you have contributed Colleen, and we are so grateful to you. We are grateful too to the United Way of Guelph Wellington Dufferin for acknowledging your contributions. The recognition is truly deserved. 

Congrats Colleen!

Colleen Harper; December 2019
Photo credit The United Way Guelph Wellington Dufferin

Board Orientation Retreat

The new Action Read board that was elected at the September Annual General Meeting recently came together for an orientation retreat. We got to know one another, shared some great stories, got creative and learned all about the roles and responsibilities of the board.

We had a very productive day, filled with valuable information and open conversations, and we had a few laughs too! We also enjoyed a delicious vegetarian lunch from 'With the Grain'.  

I’m so excited to work with this dynamic group of individuals who are going the extra mile to serve this 'small but mighty' organization!  ~ Mira Clarke, Executive Director

Left to Right - Jeff Guitard, Cindy Garland, Leah Sadler, Colleen Harper, Joyce Allen, Courtney Townsend, Vanessa Morton, Cheryl Turner, James Gray.  Missing John Dack and Paul Mesman

Board Breakfast

Members of the Board and staff met for a delicious breakfast at Angels Diner, to say good-bye to our Board Chair Michael Brodzikowski. We really appreciate the diligence and focus Mike provided to the Board, not to mention his gentle approach and upbeat attitude. We know that Mike will go on to great things in his engineering career, and wish him every success!

Board Staff Breakfast at Angels Diner

2017 AGM and 30th Anniversary Celebration

We enjoyed a wonderful jam-packed AGM and 30^th anniversary celebration on September 27^th. We celebrated the work and accomplishments of our members in 2016-2017, and looked back with much fondness at 30 years of history, successes and stories.

Jane Tuer Executive Director of Project Read Literacy Network gave a terrific presentation. Then Joanne, Laura Sumner and Celina Whaling-Rae launched their incredible new film done at Action Read called ' Finding Our Voice - Stories from Adult Literacy Learners'. 

In 1987 Action Read started with a dream to help those who couldn’t find employment due to basic skill gaps. In fact, Action Read was initially a project of the Centre for Employable Workers. Action Read set out to pair individuals who wanted help with trained community volunteers. From there, small group learning, family literacy and computer based programs quickly emerged.  In 1991 Action Read became an independently incorporated charity. Throughout the 1990s, we moved several times to accommodate growing demand.  

For 17 years we were located at the Park Mall building in downtown Guelph, and in 2017 we came here! While many changes have occurred at Action Read since 1987, we remain a community-based agency committed to learner-centred programming, involvement and accessibility – the values that propelled us forward from the beginning. Here are some highlights from our celebration...

Reviewing the Annual Report prior to getting started

Hosts with the most! Shawn Knight and Renee O'Drowsky

Outgoing chair and all round awesome volunteer Jeff Guitard!

Life is sweet...What would a celebration be without cake?!

Some of our members

Doris Middleton Award Winner Colleen Harper (right) with her tutor Mel and Doris's daughter Sherri Gosse

From Project Read's Presentation (Gosh, golly, gee-whiz ;) )