Our Goals

Our Ultimate Goal

• To establish a unique annual Family Festival of Stories in Southwestern Ontario, inspiring and celebrating a heightened appreciation for the written word.
• To raise awareness, support and funds for literacy programs in the Hamilton region.

Why is there such a need in Hamilton?

Hamilton has many challenges. It is a city where one in five people live below the poverty line, and nearly half of the adult population has difficulty reading and writing! If you can read this, you understand that reading is freedom. Children and families with an understanding and appreciation for the written word will be able to explore a much wider range of opportunities in life. The Telling Tales team and growing family of supporters know that tackling literacy is an essential step in breaking the cycle of poverty. This is why our festival has a long term of goal of ultimately strengthening and supporting much needed literacy programs in the Hamilton area.

One of Hamilton’s amazing strengths is that it is a city with the highest ratio of volunteers per capita in Canada. Through this volunteer-driven, community-wide event, we are making a real difference. There is the saying, “It takes a village to raise a child.” Through Telling Tales our whole community is geared to raising readers! Telling Tales will prove to be yet another reason why “Hamilton is truly a great place to raise a child.”

The Importance of Literacy Today

Making books a part of a child's life is the best way to encourage the love of reading, and literacy is key in breaking the poverty cycle.

- The Literacy Site

What literacy can mean for both the individual and society at large is betterment of people's lives—enhanced self-esteem, ability to read instructions on medications and civic documents, ability to learn new things which will help them to expand their knowledge, ability to cope with the majority society, etc. Literacy provides people with the option of becoming members of a self-confident and informed populace that can understand issues, represent themselves, take responsibility for self-improvement and family health, and better participate in civic affairs. These are among the more priceless payoffs of literacy.

- SIL International

Literacy is the ability to identify, understand, interpret, create, communicate, compute and use printed and written materials associated with varying contexts. Literacy involves a continuum of learning to enable an individual to achieve his or her goals, to develop his or her knowledge and potential, and to participate fully in the wider society.

- UNESCO

We have long supported literacy and education for all. Our projects have strengthened schools, built community libraries, and given the precious gift of reading and writing to those in need. …Without these fundamental skills, too many of our friends and neighbours will remain trapped by poverty, hunger, and disease. …Despite this challenge, we are heartened by the company of trusted friends and new allies in our struggle to stop illiteracy…Together we can stop illiteracy and help Make Dreams Real for our friends and neighbours in need.

- D. K. Lee, Rotary International President (80-09)

Current literacy statistics show that there is a great need for our greater services in Hamilton:

• In Hamilton, over 200,000 people need some help with reading, writing and numeracy skills.
• In Hamilton, 25% of people aged 15+ do not have a high school diploma.
• 50% of youth who drop out of high school every year are functionally illiterate.
• There is an increasing demand in Hamilton for new skill sets and higher education. People who cannot read and write are 3 times more likely to be unemployed.
• Only 2% of people with low literacy are registered in a literacy program.

- Hamilton Literacy Council

Long Term Vision

Sharing this great experience with those that are less privileged will be a goal from the very start. We will look to our sponsors and supporters to help to arrange free bus transportation for less advantaged families through out the city. In the first year we’ll only be able to bring a few hundred children to the festival. But as our festival grows, so will the access to this wonderful world of stories.

Next year we plan to grow to a two day festival, and in year three, Telling Tales will run from Friday until Sunday. We will then extend the festival one day a year – until we have reached celebrations for a full week. Once Telling Tales Festival is a week long, all school children will have access to enjoy the day through scheduled school visits.

We hope Telling Tales will become an annual family outing just like Rockton’s World Fair or the EX – a place where grandparents will proudly return with their younger families to discover new stories and delight in their favourites. For artists and writers we hope this event will help them to reach new audiences, connect with their fans and be a stepping stone for new careers.

As our festival grows we believe it will become recognized as a significant arts event for Ontario, and in time we hope it will be recognized as an important national and international event. Perhaps like Word on the Street which is now celebrated in several cities across Canada – we will one day see Rotary clubs bringing Telling Tales Festivals to other parts of Canada.

We hope everyone will take home a spark of creative inspiration. and that many a new talent will get their inspiration from this day. If each year we can convert a few reluctant readers into avid readers we will have accomplished a very important goal. When we have truly strengthened literacy programs locally – to the stage where we can see our literacy standards are rising and the need in our community is diminishing – then we will know we have played a part in helping many to live full and rewarding lives. Each year we promise to report on our website just how our funds have supported local programs.

Benefits to the Community

Westfield Heritage Village and local Rotary clubs are working together with a strong and growing collaborative team of community partners to Raise Kids Who Read.

Why is Telling Tales great for Hamilton?

• Telling Tales will soon become a new tourist attraction for the Hamilton region and Ontario.
• Telling Tales showcases Hamilton Region as an amazing community of committed volunteers who are determined to make “Hamilton a great place to raise a child”!

How will telling Tales raise funds for literacy?

• Sponsorship & Donations
• Program Advertising
• Exhibitors
• Donations at Entrance & Exit Gate
• Telling Tales Giant Book Swap
• Commission on Book & Food Sales

What is the financial goal for the first year?

We hope to raise $80,000 in our first year.
We anticipate the festival to cost $35,000.
So our financial goal for 2009 is to raise $45,000 for literacy projects.

Allocation of Funds Raised

The funds we raise in our first year will be divided evenly between the following:

• One third to the Hamilton Literacy Council
• One third to fund next year’s Telling Tales Festival
• One third to fund other worthy Local Literacy Programs *

* A Telling Tales Literacy committee is being created by our participating Rotary Groups.

Written requests may be submitted to this committee. All funds earned will be allocated by the end of the calendar year of the festival.

Contact: funding@tellingtales.org