Monday, Feb. 08, 2010

Fresno Grizzlies visit Charleston Elementary School for reading

The Fresno Grizzlies minor league baseball team and its mascot 'Parker' visited Charleston Elementary School on Monday. Grizzlies representatives spent time with students kicking off the annual Wild About Reading program offered at elementary schools throughout the Central Valley.

Parker's new book "Parker Goes on Vacation" was the inspiration for the interactive assemblies held on campus.

Students who participate in the program can earn two free Grizzlies game tickets for reading 10 books in five weeks. Representatives said that the school in the Central Valley that has the most students complete the program will receive a $500 donation from the organization.

"It's our landmark program in the Grizzlies Community Fund," Noah Franks, director of media relations, said. "This is our seventh season. And it keeps expanding every year. That's one of the best parts, how much fun the students have and how much it gets them involved. It gets them active in reading."

The program is introduced to more than 150 schools from January to March over the Central Valley.

"Los Baños is part of our fan base. We want to be a part of that community," he said.

Franks said the tickets students earn are for a series of Wild About Reading themed games for the Grizzlies.

"They aren't just random games," Franks said. "It's another opportunity to come full circle on the program. They get to come out with a bunch of fellow students who also met the challenge, they get to enjoy the game together in the kid-friendly environment. We try to make them feel like they're accomplishing something with their classmates and peers."

In 2009, the Wild About Reading program challenged Central Valley schools to read over 500,000 books. The year ended up to be recording breaking, enrolling more than 55,000 students in the program. For the students who met the challenge, 30,000 Grizzlies baseball tickets were donated in 2009.

According to the team's Web site www.Fresno.Grizzlies.MILB.com, the program was designed to reinforce the importance and excitement of reading.

--Samantha Salas