Utah Jazz Celebrates Read to Achieve Week

Members of the Utah Jazz will join children at the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake's Poplar Grove Club Friday, October 26, as the Jazz host a reading event and announcement celebration.

The Jazz and Larry H. Miller Charities will announce a $20,000 contribution to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Greater Salt Lake for the establishment of the Utah Jazz Reading and Learning Center at the Poplar Grove club. Funding from Larry H. Miller Charities will help purchase computer hardware and software, books and other materials and program support benefiting the children who use the Club in furthering their educational needs. The employees of both the sports and entertainment and automotive divisions of the Larry H. Miller Group are donating the funds to the Club.

Additionally, the Jazz will announce a series of monthly events, to be held at the Club, in conjunction with the new Utah Jazz Reading and Learning Center. This event is part of a league-wide initiative, which tipped off in each NBA city this week. Throughout the week, the NBA's 29 teams are hosting local reading events that are designed to help promote the importance of reading and education in local youth and their families. Today's program will include interactive events with the children and the Jazz players and coaches, including physical fitness and reading activities. Refreshments will be provided by Cream o' Weber.

The NBA's Read to Achieve campaign is a year-round national program designed to help young people develop a life-long love for reading and encourage adults to read and talk with children regularly. Reaching an estimated 50 million children a year, Read to Achieve is the most extensive educational outreach initiative in the history of professional sports. The effort includes the annual donation of more than 200,000 books and the creation of Reading and Learning Centers in schools and community based organizations throughout the country.

The program receives league-wide support from the entire NBA family. In addition to being supported by all 29 NBA teams, 16 WNBA teams, the eight teams that make up the NBA's new minor league, the National Basketball Development League (NBDL), Read to Achieve is supported by the NBA's officials, parents and wives of players organizations, and the NBA Players Association and Retired Player Association. Read to Achieve also expands the NBA's existing partnerships with Scholastic Inc., and Reading Is Fundamental.

The NBA, its teams and players are committed to programs that improve the quality of life for all people and has created and implemented programs that address important social issues, with a special emphasis on reading and on-line literacy initiatives for children. The NBA and its teams make a difference in North America through donations to charities and the implementation of community outreach initiatives, and through the production and airing of public service announcements.