A few months after its launch back in October, the Timberwolves and Lynx Book Mobile is in full swing. It’s made various stops throughout the last few months and continued its trek throughout the Twin Cites Metro Area on Tuesday afternoon with a stop at the Southside Village Boys and Girls Club.
That stop in South Minneapolis kicked off Read to Achieve month, presented by ViaWest, as the organization works to put books in the hands of children while also offering incentives to read.
A cluster of a little more than 50 kids, broken up into smaller groups, took turns touring the Book Mobile, choosing a book to keep, and also meeting the likes of players Glenn Robinson III and Lorenzo Brown. Robinson III and Brown were the stars of the event with Crunch also making an appearance.
“It really has a huge impact on these kids because basketball is our No. 1 sport at the Boys and Girls Club,” program director Stephanie Siegel said. “We have to pull them out of the gym to do just about anything else.”
Though the weather didn’t necessarily cooperate as temperatures dipped well below freezing, the weather was secondary to these kids. They were just excited for a chance to meet NBA players in person.
“I’d say talking to most of our kids 75 percent of them what to be a professional basketball player when they grow up,” Siegel said. “So having them be able to talk to these players is important to see that a lot of people care about them.”
ViaWest Regional Vice President Todd Meester said it was awesome to see some of the reactions of the kids.
“I was speechless,” he said. “It was great to see huge smiles on their faces. It’s awesome to get involved and see the reaction of these kids. … We can tell that these kids really look up to these players and the fact that they’re here makes an impact on a lot to these kids.”
It also seemed to have an impact on Robinson III. In the midst of a busy season Robinson III said things like this cause him to pause and realize his platform as an NBA player.
“There are a lot of guys that might not want to do community service during the season because they’re tired or whatever,” he said. “It’s just an amazing feeling to give back to the community and be a part of the Timberwolves organization. I love it.”