Joey Moss Literary Centre for Excellence opens its doors

The Joey Moss Literary Centre for Excellence will support people living with Down syndrome. Nov. 15, 2019. (CTV News Edmonton)

EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Down Syndrome Society opened the Joey Moss Literary Centre for Excellence Friday.

The new centre will aim to support those with Down syndrome by developing reading and communication skills from an early age.

The program is a legacy project celebrating Joey Moss’ 55th birthday last year, with the funding coming from the Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation. It will be housed in the Edmonton Down Syndrome Society building.

Judy Meintzer, the Literacy Committee Chair, spoke to CTV News Edmonton about the need for this type of support for young people with Down syndrome.

“People with Down syndrome are actually often early readers if they are given the proper supports," Meintzer said. "They’re very visual learners and can pick up sight vocabulary very early. If we really tap into that and tap into their interests with that vocabulary, we can build on that.

“Learning about environmental print, pretending to write notes, pretending to use a calendar…lots of those kinds of things that support early literacy from birth.”

Moss has been a member of the Edmonton Oilers for over 35 years and an ongoing supporter of the Edmonton Down Syndrome Society.