Local teacher and writer, Jeff Pew recently recieved the Community Literacy Champion award for 2017 from the Columbia Basin Alliance for Literacy (CBAL).
Carol Fairhurst of CBAL, says that from a number of oustanding nominations submitted by members of the community, Pew was chosen as a “very deserving recipient”.
“Jeff has taught creative writing at Selkirk for 18 years, fostering young talent and instilling a love of poetry, literacy and personal expression. An accomplished writer, poet and speaker, Jeff also co-founded and coordinated the spoken word celebration, Poetry on the Rocks, which has been held in Kimberley as an annual event,” said Fairhurst. “As a member of the Andy Johnson Occasional Awards committee, in partnership with the library, Jeff helps create opportunities for talent of all ages to read, express, share and grow. Jeff is also a published author. His commitment to literacy is immeasurable.”
Some of Pew’s poetry credits include:
Co-editor for Radiant Danse UV Being: a poetic portrait of Bill Bissett, 2006.
Poetry debut collection, One Foot In NeoPoisis Press, 2016.
Poetry In Transit, poem on BC Transit buses, 2007.
River Lore poem selected to represent Kootenay-Columbia in the National Poetry Registry, 2017.