A well-known literacy advocate in Carman has been recognized for her leadership in the field. The International Literacy Association has presented Susan Mooney with the 2017 Celebrate Literacy Award.

Left to right Barbara Penner, Celebrate Literacy Award winner Susan Mooney and Barbara Lepp. The recipients were recognized at an Awards Night, Wednesday, May 31, at the Viscount Gort Hotel in WinnipegHer list of accomplishments includes volunteering on the Board of Directors of the local Boyne Regional Library and serving as Chairperson for the Boyne Regional Library Expansion/Renovation Committee a fundraising committee which is looking to grow its children's section and to make room for the local Family Resource Centre. She is also a member of Pembina Escarpment Reading Council and attends PERC events to strengthen her skills in supporting young readers and families through the Carman and Area Family Resource Centre.

In 2016, Mooney successfully organized a Children’s Festival for four area schools at no cost. It was based around the Summer Reading Program out of the Boyne Regional Library and served as a way to kick off the challenge.

For the last nine years however, Mooney has dedicated one day a week to volunteering at Carman Elementary School listening to students read, sharing books, and celebrating a love for reading in what's known as Mrs. Mooney Day.

"I have this idea that in today's world children really need to know how to read and they need to know how to read well," explained Mooney, adding that one-on-one reading with children is very rewarding for both the students and the adults that participate.

Mooney believes there is great power in the ability to read, saying that literacy can improve the world.

"When one can read there are so many less problems in the world; less unemployment and less crime, as well as feeling more connected to your community."

Joyce Sawatzky is also no stranger to the power of literacy.

An elementary school librarian for 27 years, and organizer of the Winkler Imagination Library (a program that provides free books to children from birth to age five), Sawatzky sees the need for literacy in Winkler every day.

Before the Imagination Library began in 2014, she saw more and more children entering kindergarten never having been read to. Further investigation revealed many families simply didn't own any books because of a pattern of illiteracy.

Some Kindergarten students didn't even know how to hold a book.

The Imagination Library now has more than 750 children enrolled receiving free books every month. She notes creating a home libraries for families is not only improving the literacy of children, but in many cases the entire family is improving their literacy.

For her work, Sawatzky was recently recognized as the winner of the 2017 Manitoba Crocus Award for literacy advocacy.

"I was overwhelmed," she says. "It was really gratifying to see what we're doing as the Imagination Library... is making a difference."

"Our goal is to change the future for many of our area children," Sawatzky says.