February 22, 2002

Portland Trail Blazer Dale Davis treated kids at Beaver Acres Elementary School to a visit February 22, 2002.

Davis was recently named one of 15 Verizon Literacy Champions, as part of the Verizon Reads program. Davis participated in a Reading Assembly at Beaver Acres School, speaking about the importance working to improve reading skills in children and adults. He will read “Six-Dinner Sid” by Inga Moore to an assembly of nearly 300. Dale also visited a classroom of reading contest winners and read to 15 individual contest winners in the library.

“Reading is the most important thing you will learn in school,” said Davis. “Without the ability to read, I couldn’t run a successful business or charitable foundation. Learning to read at an early age gives children the advantage they need to be successful in life, learn what’s going on in our world and connect with the Internet.”

Verizon donated $25,000 to SMART, Start Making a Reader Today, at the reading assembly. In addition, Verizon will present the $21,000 donation to the Oregon Literacy Program at the February 23 Blazers vs. Nuggets game.

Reading and children’s issues are important to Davis, and he is also on the NBA’s National All Star Reading program, and a spokesperson for literacy issues.

“I think that it is important to get kids involved in reading at a young age,” said Davis. “Literacy and education have been the long been the focus of my foundation, the Dale Davis Foundation, and becoming a Verizon Reading Champion was a natural fit.”

Davis is one of fifteen Verizon Literacy Champions, as part of the Verizon Reads program. Other literacy champions include Vanna White, Chi Chi Rodriguez, Daryl Johnson and Tiki Barber.

Verizon Reads is the umbrella organization for Verizon’s national literacy platform. Established in 1999, Verizon Reads is dedicated to the fight for a more literate America through meaningful programs that create awareness, raise funds and encourage collaboration among literacy providers.

The Literacy Champions program is part of the Verizon Reads literacy awareness campaign. Verizon partners with local celebrities in communities to connect literacy to a familiar face, bring attention to this critical issue and raise awareness and funding for the cause.


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