Rodney White recruits help to paint the Pistons Reading and Learning Center

(Auburn Hills, MI... April 4, 2002) Thanks to basketball fans and coffee lovers, the Detroit Pistons and the Starbucks Coffee Company collected more than 10,000 new and gently used children’s books during the month of March 2002, shattering the goal of 2,000 books. Hundreds of families brought books to fill the bins at The Palace on their way to watch the first-place Detroit Pistons during March home games. Thousands more dropped off a book while picking up their coffee at the local Starbucks.

Managers of many of the 46 participating metro-Detroit Starbucks locations were enthusiastic about collecting books. “Pete Truza (manager of the Farmington Hills Starbucks) and I entered into a friendly competition to see who could collect the most books,” said Ryan Began, manager of the Novi Starbucks, “It helps to know your neighbors. We both had teachers, school principals, and other regular customers helping us out.” Between their two locations, Truza and Began collected more than 5,500 books for the Pistons Book Drive.

Among the top Starbucks locations for book collection were:
Location	Books collected	Manager	Phone number
Novi: 14 Mile Road	4,000 +	Ryan Began	248-926-1458
Farmington Hills: Orchard Lake Road	1,500 +	Pete Truza	248-489-5567
Northville: Haggerty Road & 8 Mile	1,000+	Erinn Housel	248-347-4502
Farmington: Grand River	400+	Stan Shephard	248-476-5411
Dearborn Heights: Ford Road	400+	Lori Stevenson	313-563-8145

The book drive was part of the Detroit Pistons Read To Achieve community literacy initiative inaugural year. Individuals donating books suitable for kindergarten through 12th grade readers received a buy-one-get-one-free voucher to a regular season Detroit Pistons home game and a free 16 oz. Starbucks beverage. Books collected will be donated to the Detroit PAL (Police Athletic League) St. James Activity Center in Detroit, and to children in Detroit, Avondale, Pontiac and Flint school districts, and metro-Detroit literacy centers.

Read To Achieve is designed to promote reading and literacy to children and families in Michigan. The goal is to instill a life-long love of reading in young people, and to provide greater access to books and technology in our community. The Read To Achieve initiative was launched at The Palace of Auburn Hills in October 2001 with the entire Pistons squad, 250 elementary students, and luminary members of the All Star Reading Team including Aretha Franklin, Attorney General Jennifer Granholm, Judge Greg Mathis and gospel star Carvin Winans.

Detroit Pistons players have devoted their time to share the love of reading at Read To Achieve events throughout southeastern Michigan with elementary students this season, reading to more than 2,200 students in Detroit, Auburn Hills, Pontiac, and Flint. The Pistons organization has given each of these students books to take home. Other Read To Achieve programs include a reading incentive contest called “Pistons Pages,” and the renovation of a reading and learning center at the PAL St. James Activity Center in Detroit. Coca Cola, Nike, and Ticketmaster are sponsors of the Pistons’ Read To Achieve program.

Detroit Pistons’ community relations is committed to building positive relationships in southeastern Michigan in order to promote corporate and philanthropic growth. Its goal is to make a difference in the lives of youth and families through programs and activities that promote respect, teamwork, excellence and integrity. The department also directs The Pistons-Palace Foundation, the organization's charitable vehicle that has donated more than $15 million to various Michigan non-profit organizations since 1989. The Foundation awards grants to organizations that offer programs that address issues of athletics, health & fitness, culture & arts, education, and personal & professional development.