NEWS
Billings Mustangs and United
Way Team Up to Promote
Summer Reading
Billings, MT May 15, 2014 United Way of Yellowstone County and the Billings Mustangs Baseball Club are teaming up to promote a summer of bats, balls and books. Going to Bat for Literacy is a comprehensive program designed to promote reading throughout the summer for 1,500 students and their families in first, second and third grades attending nine Title 1 schools in Billings.
The book distribution with Homer, the Mustang’s mascot, starts Thursday, May 15 and Friday, May 16 at the times and schools listed below.
During the book distribution, Gary Roller, the general manager of the Billings Mustangs Baseball Club will also encourage students to read with their families 20 minutes a day and to sign up for Billings Public Library’s summer reading program.
“We are honored and extremely grateful to have the opportunity to partner with the United Way of Yellowstone County and participate on the ground level in such a special program. And while the role that the Mustangs organization plays in the reading program as a whole is very small, it is something that we’re very proud of and look forward to being a part of each year. The planning, scheduling and activation of the program itself, as well as the success of the program, is the direct result of the collective efforts of the many individuals who make up the United Way team.” said Gary Roller, General Manager of the Billings Mustangs Baseball Club.
Going to Bat for Literacy is one of many programs under United Way’s Reading Matters work in the community. Going to Bat for Literacy has distributed over 6,000 books to students since the program began. United Way also distributes books every month to several social service agencies in Yellowstone County. In May, this program reached a milestone of distributing another 20,000 books in the community.
United Way’s work in the area of literacy is increasing, according to Julie Morris, United Way’s Literacy Coordinator. “We appreciate the partnership with the Billings Mustangs that addresses an important issue in our community----helping children who might not otherwise have books readily available to them in the home and to be encouraged by a respected community member to spend time reading over the summer,” she said.
According to experts in the field, research has shown that students who read throughout the summer can maintain or increase their reading level, whereas students who don’t read on a consistent basis often return to school in the fall at a lower reading level, thereby putting them at a disadvantage from the start, especially in disadvantaged families.
More information on this program can be found on the Billings Mustangs website at www.billingsmustangs.com and on their giant reader board during ball games. Interested students can also sign up for the Library’s summer reading program at the ballpark.
For more information on the book distribution, contact Gayle L. Whittenberg, Director of Development at 272-8503 or by cell phone at 698-9623.