Culture the other press Paparazzi: Caught on Campus October 9, 2002 Every week we will be featuring a photo and brief bio of one male and one female in the Culture Section. If you've got style or know someone who does, please feel free to visit us in the office (rm 1020), or call us at 604-525-3542. Name: Richard Age: Undisclosed Status: Married Program of Study: Graduated Massage Therapist What are you wearing? Jeans, Old Navy; Jacket, Danier Leather; Shirt, Calvin Klein. What do you want to be when you grow up? Doing it! (massage therapist) Name: Sarah Age: 21 Status: Attached Sign: Virgo Program of Study: First year, Classroom and Community Support Program What are you wearing? Jeans, Sirens; Hat, stole from brother; Shirt, Le Chateau What do you want to be when you grow up? The obvious: a support worker. Word On the Street Kerry Evans Culture Editor September 29th, 2002 marked the 8th annual Word On The Street festival at the Library Square and the CBC Plaza. Word On The Street is a non-profit organization whose goal is to raise awareness about the importance of literacy to Canadians. Word On The Street aims to instill the notion that great reading comes from great writing. Bryan Pike, one of the producers of the event, was pleasantly pleased with the turnout. The cloudy skies made for some concern about the weather, but the many volunteers working in the booths reported that they had as many visitors as ever. Word On The Street has developed an audi- ence, rain or shine. I am happy to report the event is accessible to both adults and children. The kids’ area featured children’s authors, entertainers and activities. There was always someone reading in a tent somewhere for the children. The kids’ scav- enger hunt, new to the fair this year, was a big success. For a donation of $1, children were given a list of ten questions about the event to answer. The CBC gave a gift bag including magnets, flags, coloring books, etc. to each child as they turned in their completed forms. This was an excellent idea as it allowed the parents to stroll the events while involving their children. More than 500 attractions lined the interior and exterior of the library, sur- rounding street, and CBC building. Local and national publishers, booksellers, literacy organizations, libraries, and writers’ associations turned out. They were all in high spirits and were enthusiastically helpful when approached. Approximately over 40,000 people attended the event, with attendance for the live shows and readings up from last year. The tents were pressed with patrons and literacy enthusiasts. Musical entertainment kept the chilled visitors inter- ested, the children entertained, and the mood electric. An interesting fundraising strategy that Word On The Street has come up with is their “Adopt an Author” campaign. A $100 donation allows you to present a top author at the event. The donator also receives a signed copy of the author's book, is publicly introduced on stage, and their name appears in the Word On The Street program. This is an amazingly fresh idea to fundraising that should welcome many new financial contributors. Word On The Street is successful due to the faithful volunteers who offer their time each year. They are integral from the time of setting up from the event, assisting during the fair, and all the way to tearing it down at the end. Community involvement and a love of books/magazines are two great reasons why volunteers come back to assist. When speaking to a volunteer, she men- tioned that you get a free Word On The Street t-shirt—that alone is a great rea- son to get involved. Just something to keep in mind for next year! page 19 ©