Bilingualism can open many doors for people throughout their lives. In Canada we have two official languages, French and English, and knowing each of them can better assist people throughout their lives.
The Canadian Parents for French Wawota Chapter will be hosting a Winter Spirit Festival (Festival esprit d’hiver) on Sunday, Feb. 28, between 1 p.m. and 9 p.m. This is the second time the yearly event has been held and organizer Sarah Weatherald is excited to bring another day of fun to the community.
“It will be fun and we’re going to be engaging more than just the smaller kids,” Weatherald said of the event. “There’s going to be something for everyone.”
This includes the youth activity stations within the Wawota town hall, skating (patinage) on the pond, toboganning (luge), bingo (loto), and sleigh rides (promenade en traîneau). Additionally, Weatherald is excited to be bringing a fun team triathlon (minimum of four participants per team) to the event as well.
“New this year is the triathlon,” Weatherald explained. “Teams will compete for points in three events. The first event is the human dog sled race, so teams will pull a member down Main St. while being timed. The second is hockey golf with the closest one to the pin winning and the third is human curling. People will push a team member on an inner tube past the hog line to score points.”
“There’s something for everyone this year, for the kids interested in sports or those that want to play Bingo, there’s a wide variety of activities. We’ll also be showing a movie that night, which we’re finalizing right now.”
The movie being shown that day will be, “Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day;” a comedy starring Steve Carell and Jennifer Garner.
The day is completely free to the community other than the supper which will be available at the hall.
“It’s a way for us to put on something free in the community for everyone, not just our members,” Weatherald stated. “It’s something everyone can take in and they can learn a little bit of French too.”
CPF – Wawota has been running successfully since its creation and something they have seen great response to have been French days at the school on Professional Development days. Membership has increased and more kids are taking part in events throughout the year.
Being bilingual, Weatherald says it is something that should be encouraged for all youth.
“I think it’s [being bilingual] huge,” Weatherald stated. “Being bilingual enables people to engage with communities and the economy across Canada, no matter where they are they’ll be able to participate in society. There are numerous forms of French media and there are some really great films coming out of Quebec, which is something very simple.”
“I’ve worked in French and English, it’s something that can open up travel opportunities for you and the skills you learn from French are transferable. It can actually strengthen your math and English to be able to speak and understand French. There are countless academic benefits because it’s been proven to help you develop creatively and cognitively.”
Although the day of the festival is to encourage bilingualism and the use of French, it is completely accessible to those who only know English.
For more information about the day or to register a team for the triathlon contact Weatherald at (306)575-9789 or [email protected]. Visit them on Facebook as well at www.facebook.com/CPFWawota.
