~ by Holly Thorne-Wiebe, Friesens Marketing
We always look forward to February because it’s I Love to Read Month, an annual celebration of literacy in Manitoba. Since we are our community’s largest employer, and in the business of making books, we’re honoured…and feel a sense of responsibility…to be part of this campaign every year. We’ve always been a strong advocate in promoting the benefits of literacy and making sure that we use every opportunity to instill a love of books and reading to every child, especially in this digital-focused world we live in.
As in years past, Friesens employee-owners teamed up with our friends at Golden West Radio to read to hundreds of Grade 2 students in the Pembina Valley. In addition, all those students received a copy of this year’s book, “We Need Everyone” by Michael Redhead Champagne, an Indigenous author from Winnipeg, illustrated by Tiff Bartel and published by Highwater Press.
I was one of those employee-owners who read to the kids (in Morris and Manitou), but I always love to hear the story behind the story, so I sat down with Michael at Modern Coffee on Treaty One territory to chat about the book and its message!
