The street was filled with celebration last Thursday, including balloons, drumming and cheers.
About 60 people in the city currently take part in Language Instruction for Newcomers for Canada (LINC), offered through Chilliwack Community Services. And as they get ready to take a break for the summer, they were celebrated by their instructors. Usually, the event is a culturally diverse celebration including performances, a shared meal, and speeches.
Of course, due to physical distancing rules, they had to come up with a different way to celebrate this year.
They decided on a drive-through certificate celebration, outside of the Main Street Church in their parking lot. The focus was on celebrating those who have progressed from one level of the program to the next for the 2019-2020 year.
They also invited drummers from Skwah First Nations, as is tradition for the program, to participate with drumming and singing in honour of National Indigenous People’s Day.
Despite the physical distancing limitations on learning, the LINC students have been continuing with their students online, with their ESL teachers teaching from home. It’s been a steep learning curve for many of the students who are learning technology at the same time as learning a new language.
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