Daron Letts
Northern News Services

Hay River (Sep 19/05) - Families gathered to celebrate the joy of reading earlier this month at the NWT Centennial Public Library in Hay River.

Hayden Scofield told stories to the children and Marne Twigge sang some songs with them.

The Snye Fidelity Trio also performed.

The newly-formed Hay River Literacy Society organized the event, which included a multi-cultural smorgasbord of country food as well as Korean, Chilean and Russian dishes.

Many participants came dressed in traditional costumes from Columbia, India, Poland and other places around the world.

Co-ordinator Ken Latour dressed in a sarong and a batik shirt from the island of Java in Indonesia, where he lived for a couple of years.

"I was enlightened to the vast array of cultures we have in our community," said board member Trish Rymhs.

Ryhms and her two daughters are reading the book Grandma's Elephants, a story about a girl and her grandma who bring a couple of elephants to a parade during the Onam festival in India.

The society introduced its new board at the event.

What's the first task for the new Hay River Literacy Society board?

To come up with a more creative name, Latour said.

The society's newsletter will debut in the first week of October during NWT Literacy Week.