"Well, I made it through that first meeting and oddly enough, learned to look forward to attending the annual gatherings. I met terrific people, most of whom were very friendly, and many who had, like myself, just stepped into the field of literacy not sure of a definite direction but definitely determined to make a difference."

"Later, as I began to know the students in my program, I was able to relate to their feelings of inferiority, frustration and terror when faced with situations that called for a skill they had yet to possess. I will always consider myself an adult learner and have yet to overcome the feeling of inadequacy. That's OK, far be it from me to be haughty!"

After lunch we drove out to Marsha's acreage (where she raises pigs, chickens, a couple of beef calves and two teenage sons) and talked for a while longer about the challenges of literacy work and the importance of keeping things simple, moving forward one experience, one challenge, one day at a time.

Just as I was leaving, Marsha told me that she had read somewhere that, "If you want to be remembered in your lifetime, you have to have children, plant a tree and write a book." Glancing over her shoulder at her new book laying on the kitchen table, she said, "Gee, I guess I've done it all!"

Waving goodbye I said, "No way Marsha, you're just getting started."

It was just after lunch when I sat down with MARNEE KARL in her office in the basement of the Strathcona County Library in Sherwood Park, just east of Edmonton. Marnee was grateful for the break; she had been working particularly hard the past few days with World Literacy Week activities.

She showed me her day calendar with her "to do" list of the past week - preparations for two flag-raisings, the signing of a proclamation by the Reeve, displays at the mall and the library, the "Read-In Challenge" with the Counties of Parkland and Leduc, interviews with the media and speaking engagements with local service clubs. All this in 20 hours a week, which are divided between an office in Sherwood Park and one in the community of Fort Saskatchewan, 30 km away!

Turning on her answering machine and kicking off her shoes, Marnee sat back in her chair with a comfortable sigh. "September is an incredibly busy time," she pointed out. "Even though a literacy program may be well established, each academic year brings new students and tutors to the door. It's a time of renewing old commitments and making new ones. And this year is especially busy with International Literacy Year activities to plan and think about."

"World Literacy Day is on September 8th. I've been thinking that maybe it would be way better if it was in February sometime," Marnee said, only half-kidding. "It could be celebrated as part of 'Family Month', encouraging people to read as a family. Then we'd have time to really give some recognition to the day instead of just using it as a way to get some media attention for our programs every September. "

I asked Marnee if all the advertising she was doing for her program helped with the recruitment of students. She explained that the advertising was mostly to raise awareness about the program and to encourage people to volunteer as tutors. "The students hear about the program mosdy through word of mouth. Their motivation to come to the program stems from a real variety of reasons."