THE WDS

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Newsletter July 2024

July 2024

Dear Everyone… Summer is here… school holidays…we have news and a challenge for you !!!


We will be brief… you have lots of fun to get to…  Sharon Roberts wrote an article for our July 1 Come to the Dyslexic Table about sneaky ways to continue learning during the holidays and have fun at the same time.  The podcast will be published shortly HERE.  

There are 52 skills listed HERE … you can add to them, make up your own challenges…challenge your parents/siblings you can take photos of your achievements along the way and/or keep a Journal. 

Just put your name and age on the list (some of the skills are age appropriate and will need adult assistance). Please be safe while you have fun. 

Learning is fun, it’s a good feeling when you learn something new…and you never know when your new skill might come in useful. 

So lets get started… you’ve got till August 31, 2024.


Our Documentary, latest working title  “Who Knew… unexplored insights into learning challenges”

Our wonderful Director, Kelly Conlin sent me the interviews to make sure we didn’t say anything we shouldn’t have said, and now she is starting the magical editing.

The next task is Distribution… and needless to say I know nothing about distribution, so our conversations have been very enlightening.

The first step was to book a venue for our ‘Premiere’ event next year.

The Star Cinema in Sidney is happy for us to book one of their theatres, we can have the Silent Auction in their foyer, and Small Gods Brewery, directly over the road can provide a welcome drink!

SAVE THIS DATE… Sunday March 9, 2025 doors open 4pm.

CELEBRATIONS…

We always LOVE celebrating our wonderful students and this month we celebrate literary, musical and artistic skills !

Polar Expressions Publishing run student poetry and student short story competitions for children K-Gr5. Wynne had her poem published in the latest anthology

Wynne Jones has two brothers (twins) and a hamster named Buttercup the Brave. She has always liked poetry. 

Writing poetry makes Wynne joyful and happy, as if music is streaming through her.’ 

Not too shabby for a talented, creative girl with the gift of dyslexia !  Congratulations Wynne, aged 8.

Here is a guitar recital by Oliver Conwright, 13,  "Sultans of Swing": he made his own backing track onto his loop pedal so that he would have the rhythm guitar while playing the licks and solo.  Watch HERE. Totally amazing!

Lastly, and definitely not least(ly)…I worked with Lacey a long time ago, she is an accomplished Visual Artist, with a degree in Industrial Design and is also a Tattoo Artist.

This is her tribute to sweet Keela, who crossed the Rainbow Bridge last October.

Not to overlook our talented Facilitators either, thank you Axel Gudmundsson for sharing this!

Around 5,000 years ago, the Sumerians, who lived in ancient Mesopotamia (modern-day Iraq), revolutionized how we perceive and measure time. They developed a sophisticated numerical system based on the number 60, known as the sexagesimal system. This unique system led to the division of an hour into 60 minutes and a minute into 60 seconds, concepts that are still in use today.

The Sumerians' need for precise timekeeping was driven by their agricultural society. Accurate calendars were essential for planting and harvesting crops. They also needed to coordinate their complex religious ceremonies and administrative activities. To aid their timekeeping, the Sumerians made significant advancements in astronomy. They observed the movements of celestial bodies and used this knowledge to create a lunar calendar with 12 months, which closely aligned with the agricultural seasons.

The division of the day into 24 hours, each hour into 60 minutes, and each minute into 60 seconds was a monumental achievement. These divisions were not arbitrary but were designed to be practical and easily divisible, reflecting the Sumerians' advanced understanding of mathematics. This innovative approach to time had a profound impact on later civilizations, including the Babylonians, Greeks, and Romans, who adopted and further developed the Sumerian system. The legacy of the Sumerians' timekeeping system is evident in our modern clocks and calendars, demonstrating the enduring influence of their ingenuity on our daily lives.

Credit: Amazing Archeology


‘COME TO THE DYSLEXIC TABLE’ - Episode #15 - Coming September 1st! Topic: How to build the best school possible for everybody.

JOIN US on September 1st at 4.30pm Pacific.

RSVP here…………….


We all wish you a wonderful summer and we look forward receiving your Some-er Challenges entries.

Sue, Sharon, Nadine, Julie, Laura, Gisa, Tristan, Del, Paddy


WE’VE GONE INTERNATIONALThe Kakamega Project.

The WDS & The Kakamega Project team are on a mission ! To provide effective dyslexia education training to developing remedial tutors and supporting parents in Kakamega County, Kenya. We are very excited and honoured to be part of this initiative and look forward to telling you how it is unfolding. Visit our Campaign page HERE.


Our Giving Guide: 

NEW!! We have created some information pages on our website for Legacy Giving and Donor Advised Funds. These are ways in which you can support your favourite charity. You can read all about them on our Giving Page HERE.

Purchase our Gifted with Dyslexia PinsPurchase our Pins Here

TruEarth Eco-Friendly Laundry Soap and Products.  20% of all sales go to our Society.  Please follow the link to our Tru-Earth product page to purchase.  Tru-Earth Eco-Friendly Products Here

Donate a Car Canada. Looking for simple and free car removal? Donate a Car Canada accepts Vehicle Donations for The Whole Dyslexic Society. When you donate your car, truck, RV, boat, or motorcycle to The Whole Dyslexic Society through Donate A Car Canada, it will either be recycled or sold at auction (depending on its condition, age and location). Read more about Donate a Car Canada…….

See how donations can result in tax credits by reading the article below. Read More…Tax Benefits of Charitable Donations

Partial proceeds go to The WDS from sales and rentals of Ed Roman’s highly acclaimed “Red Omen” video. For more information on renting or buying Red Omen click here 

We gratefully accept donations through our Canada helps charity page. We have a variety of donor options. Thank you !

Canada Helps - General Fund 

Canada Helps - Bursary Fund 

Canada Helps Tribute - Donate in honour of or in memory of a loved one.  

Canada Helps Securities - A donation of securities or mutual funds is the most efficient way to give charitably. Since capital gains taxes don't apply, our charity receives the full fair market value when the security is sold, and you get a tax receipt which reflects your larger contribution. This allows you to give more and get more. TO READ MORE ABOUT DONATING SECURITIES OR MUTUAL FUNDS CLICK HERE

We are a registered charity with the PayPal Giving Fund. You can donate to our organization using your PayPal account with no fees. Thank you ! PayPal Giving Fund