2009 Fast Break To Reading Program Encourages Youth Nationwide to Read for One Million Minutes
June 17 2009 - 8:30AM
Business Wire
Pitney Bowes Inc. (NYSE:PBI) and the Women�s National Basketball
Association (WNBA) announced today that they are coming together
again to raise awareness for literacy across the United States. The
2009 Fast Break To Reading program encourages youth nationwide to
read throughout the summer and track their minutes at
http://www.wnba.com/fbtr/. The goal is for the youth to
collectively reach one million minutes of reading time.
To introduce the national literacy program, Pitney Bowes and the
WNBA are holding a Youth Reading Rally in New York City today with
young students from PS 33 Chelsea Prep. Participants will include
New York Liberty players, and WNBA and Pitney Bowes executives. The
event will be held at Madison Square Garden.
Ten WNBA teams will participate in the season-long, Fast Break
To Reading program: the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut
Sun, Detroit Shock, Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, New York
Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm and Washington Mystics.
Each team will tip off its local program in June in collaboration
with a local literacy organization. The teams will also work with
Pitney Bowes to hold Reading Timeouts to read to area youth and
speak about the importance of reading.
Youth participating in the program will receive one of 16
collectible bookmarks autographed by a WNBA player each week when
they enter their reading minutes at the Fast Break To Reading Web
site. The Web site also features WNBA players� favorite books, a
player Q&A section and polls about reading. The site also
includes links to a Fast Break To Reading fan page on Facebook,
YouTube videos, photographs posted on flickr and the latest program
updates on Twitter.
�Literacy and education are critical to the development and
success of our nation�s youth,� said Juanita James, chief marketing
and communications officer, Pitney Bowes. �We are excited to be
teaming up with the WNBA again and look forward to working together
to help raise awareness of literacy and encourage young students to
read.�
�Since the league�s inception, reading and literacy has always
been an important initiative for the WNBA and our players,� said
WNBA President Donna Orender. �We are thrilled to once again work
with Pitney Bowes to highlight the significance of education and
our athletes are just as excited to deliver this important program
to their young fans across the country.�
About Pitney Bowes:
Pitney Bowes is a $6.3 billion global technology leader whose
products, services and solutions deliver value within the
mailstream and beyond. Founded in 1920, our company�s 35,000
employees deliver technology, service and innovation to more than
two million customers worldwide. For more information about Pitney
Bowes, its products, services and solutions, visit www.pb.com.
About the WNBA:
The WNBA is a unique global sports property combining
competition, sportsmanship and entertainment value with its status
as an icon for social change, achievement and diversity. Comprised
of 13 teams, the WNBA is the most successful women�s professional
team sports league in the world. The league concluded its historic
12th regular season with increases in attendance, ratings, Web
traffic and merchandise sales. The 2009 WNBA season tipped off June
6 on ABC.
Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating
programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a
special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and
positive body image, increase breast and women�s health awareness,
support youth and family development, and focus on education. For
more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.
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