CLCLC holds AGM

By Stan Ashbee
Sunny South News

Last Thursday — roast beef, potatoes, veggies and cheesecake were served — and the CLCLC or County of Lethbridge Community Learning Council held its annual general meeting at the Coaldale Public Library.
Literacy Co-ordinator Melanie Patenaude presented her annual report to those in attendance. She noted the office opened on International Literacy Day Sept. 8 and the CLCLC co-hosted a game night with the library to celebrate. Patenaude added she is also in the process of contacting learners and tutors, as the fall session kicks off.
“Currently, I have two people on the waiting list looking for tutors,” she said, adding literacy classes are set to begin soon.
According to Patenaude, she is also excited about the Families Learning Together program, with a partnership with TDCALA or the Taber and District Community Adult Learning Association for Shaughnessy.
The CLCLC office was also re-arranged over the summer, Patenaude told those in attendance at the AGM.
“To allow for a warm welcoming environment, which is part of the new guidelines.”
Two laptops are also being purchased for learners utilizing the services at the CLCLC office.
Patenaude added the CLCLC has been in discussions with the Town of Coaldale’s Community Services Manager Stephanie Wierl to discuss the potential of taking over General Interest classes.
Lethbridge College has also partnered with the CLCLC and a sandwich board outside the library, where the CLCLC office is located, has already brought in a few possible learners with questions — e-Campus Alberta is also a partner.
“For now, we are just doing our best at helping learners coming through the door with questions. Under the new guidelines, we are supposed to be the first point of contact for learners. Just to help them navigate,” said Patenaude, during her report.
Roxanne Samoleski, from the CLCLC also presented a report, in regards to the past year’s General Interest programming.
“The fall brochure, which is our September to December brochure, we offered 49 general interest classes. Those being arts and crafts, photography and fitness. Of those 49, 22 ran and we had to cancel 27, probably due to low numbers,” Samoleski said, adding Zumba and Nia Yoga are always the most profitable classes offered. The profit from the September to December time frame was $65.95 and the council served 147 learners.
That same fall, Samoleski added, the council offered 31 funded classes including English as a Second Language, conversational English, basic computer classes and drop-ins.
“We ran 17 of those and we had to cancel 14. I called it a loss, but really it was a cost because these are classes with a fee to run. We spent $9,132.25 on those and we served 53 learners,” she noted.
As for the spring programming, which ran January to June — Samoleski said the CLCLC offered 33
General Interest classes.
“Of those, 28 ran. So, we cancelled five. Again, yoga and Zumba, Nordic pole walking and first aid all brought in a lot of profit for those. We got $2,050.07 and we served 213 learners. We ran 16 funded classes that term. Eleven of those ran and five were cancelled and those cost us $13,543.60 and we served 25 learners. So, that brings us up to date,” Samoleski noted.
For this fall of 2015, the learning council is offering 45 General Interest classes and 17 funded classes.
“We’re still in the midst of registrations and getting classes going and trying to get people to sign up,” she said.