A smile is a powerful tool! Most people think that wesmile because we feel happy, but it can go the other way

as well: we feel happy because we smile. So go ahead… smile!

Alex Korb, Psychology Today

OutreachEach year, the Outreach Committee of The East York-Scarborough Reading Association supports individualsand organizations involved in valuable literacy endeavours.It is through the generous support of our Reading for theLove of It conference delegates that we are able to contributeto organizations close to home, throughout Canada andabroad. This year, we are honoured to provide assistance to a variety of organizations that focus on fostering a loveof reading. Whetherit is providing muchneeded learning materials, gettinggood books to readersof all ages, or simplysharing a great read,each of these groupsgive the gift of liter-acy and help to improve the lives ofothers. We applaudtheir efforts and thank you for supporting these wonderfulchampions of literacy.

Locally, we support the programs and services offered byHomeward Bound, Native Child and Family Services ofToronto and The Children’s Book Bank. We know that allof these wonderful organizations work hard to ensure engaging stories and learning materials make their wayinto the hands of young readers throughout Toronto.

Nationally, we contribute to Book Clubs for Inmates,Friends of Six Nations Public Library Foundation (SALTProgram), Moose Cree First Nation (Camp Onakawana),National Reading Campaign, and the First Nations Child

and Family Caring Society of Canada. In doing so, wehave helped to provide reading materials to learners of allages throughout Canada. In addition, we are proud tohave sponsored a group of First Nation educators so theycould attend our 2016 conference and engage in literacylearning with colleagues from near and far.

Internationally, we have touched the lives of students livingin Ghana and Cambodia through our support of BanyanLearning Tree (c/o A Mine Free World) and CODE Ghana,where our donations were used to purchase much neededschool supplies, library books, and educational materials.Through the dedicated efforts of one of our own executivemembers, Vangie Kalanderopoulos, educational materialsare being provided to child refugees currently residing inGreece who have been displaced from their homeland.

Finally, to commemorate our 40th Reading for the Loveof It conference, we donated boxes of bright and colourfulpencils to 40 organizations aroundthe world to celebrate our love of reading and commitment to literacy. These pencils made theirway into the homes and classroomsof children in Canada, and manyother countries such as Laos, Dominican Republic and Kenya. All of this would not be possiblewithout the generous support ofour conference delegates. On behalf of the EYSRA, thank you for making a difference!

For more information please visit our website and checkout our Outreach section.

Liz Blake, Outreach Chair

Colourful pencils that arebeing donated to literacyorganizations worldwide

EYSRA Executive Doris Wukasch with OutreachChair Liz Blake, raising funds for Outreach atthe 2016 conference