A Celebration of Literacy and Community Development in Fort Chipewyan

Corporate Social Responsibility Press Release

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8.26.2008 - 06:00pm ET

A Celebration of Literacy and Community Development in Fort Chipewyan

(CSRwire) Fort Chipewyan, Alberta - Residents of Fort Chipewyan and community partners today celebrated the conclusion of a successful summer literacy camp along with Frontier College, a literacy organization that operated the camp, and corporate partner, the Imperial Oil Foundation.

The community celebrated the work of the three camp counsellors - all of whom were hired directly from Fort Chipewyan - and the progress the 40 students made over the course of the camp. The students were presented with certificates of achievement and school supplies at the event. The camp, which was offered to children ranging in ages from 6 to 12, was held in two sessions running from late July to late August. Imperial employees in Calgary also got involved through participation in a book drive for the Fort Chipewyan community.

"We're proud to be a sponsor of the Fort Chipewyan literacy camp because it has made such a positive difference to the lives of children in the community," says Tim Zelter, Operations Manager for Imperial's proposed Kearl Project. "This is a great example of how numerous partners - community, non-profit and corporate - have come together to help build a stronger community."

"Frontier College is thrilled with the results of our summer literacy camp in partnership with Fort Chipewyan, the Imperial Oil Foundation and other community partners," says Sherry Campbell, President of Frontier College. "It's wonderful to see camp counsellors connect with kids to develop a love of reading. The other benefit is that it will help kids keep their reading skills sharp before they return to school."

Literacy is an essential skill in today’s world. Frontier College, Canada's oldest literacy organization, believes it is a fundamental right. Low literacy skills are directly linked to poverty, poor health and high unemployment. More than 40 percent of adult Canadians have trouble with everyday tasks that involve reading. That's millions of Canadians who are not reaching their potential. Through a network of thousands of volunteers, Frontier College is helping people to realize their potential and seize the opportunities that come their way. For more information, visit www.frontiercollege.ca.

Imperial is supporting organizations from coast-to-coast with an emphasis on education, environment, and the community. Imperial's goal is to be an active member of the community and to build a life-long learning system in Canada that ranks among the best in the world. For more information about Imperial's community investment activities, please visit www.imperialoil.ca/giving.