RANDOM ACTS OF POETRY EMPOWER YOUTH

Poets across Canada will visit schools, alternative schools, and youth centres from Oct. 4 to 9, 2010, during the seventh annual Random Acts of Poetry event, sponsored by The Canada Council for the Arts.

In Fredericton, New Brunswick, Joe Blades will participate for the fourth year. Blades has authored seven poetry books, and is the current President of the League of Canadian Poets. “Sharing poetry creates a space for growth and understanding in people’s lives. This is especially important for youth,” says Blades.

For the first time, the event is focused on bringing poetry to young people. “We want to draw attention to youth literacy, which is a crucial issue for Canada’s future,” says Claire Rettie, Executive Director of the READ Society, a non-profit literacy organization in Victoria. READ has provided tuition assistance for children and youth from low income households in Victoria so they can improve their reading, writing, mathematics and study skills.

READ coordinates this national event in conjunction with Sooke poet Wendy Morton, the event founder. During the week, 30 poets across Canada, from Victoria, British Columbia to Pasadena, Newfoundland Labrador, will commit Random Acts of Poetry in their cities. Poets will read to youth and give them copies of their poetry books.

“We will choose poems that speak to young people and hope to encourage them to find poems in their own lives,” says Morton, who will read at LAU,WELNEW Tribal School in Saanich, BC. She believes that poetry is a way into language for those who have barriers to it.

Across Canada poets will commit Random Acts of Poetry in: Calgary, Edmonton, Elmvale, Fredericton, Gibsons, Kincardine, Laval, Montague, Montreal, Moose Jaw, Nanaimo, Ottawa, Pasadena, Quebec City, Sooke, Stratford, Thamesford, Toronto, Vancouver, Verdun, Victoria, Windsor, Winnipeg, and Wolfville.

For more information please contact:
Wendy Morton, 250-642-3542 wendymorton @ shaw.ca
Claire Rettie, READ Society, 250-388-7225 crettie @ readsociety.bc.ca
Joe Blades, Fredericton, NB 506 454-5127 joeblades @ nb.aibn.com