Rawhide Announce Enhanced Rawhide Readers Program

VISALIA, CA - This summer Central Valley youths will find that reading is not only good for the soul, but also for free baseball tickets. The Visalia Rawhide announced today they are re-branding their childhood literacy program as Rawhide Readers. The program, which had been previously known as "Tipper's Reading Club", encourages Elementary and Middle School aged children to read in their spare time by rewarding them with free Rawhide tickets when they have completed five books.

Rawhide Readers expands upon "Tipper's Reading Club" by including literacy-based entities other than schools, such as libraries and local business partners in the community that want to encourage children to read.
"We believe that Rawhide Readers is a huge step forward for the Rawhide and for childhood literacy," said Rawhide General Manager Jennifer (Pendergraft) Reynolds. "Since this franchise re-branded as the Rawhide ten years ago, we have made it a part of our mission to aid the Visalia Unified School District and Tulare County Office of Education in addressing childhood literacy issues locally. This is the next step in our mission to get all of our local kids reading and loving baseball."
The Rawhide visited over 40 schools in 2017 and distributed over 40,000 bookmarks to local Elementary and Middle School aged youth, all of which served as a voucher for tickets to one of five Reading Days at Rawhide Ballpark. This season, the Rawhide hope to distribute 100,000 Rawhide Readers bookmarks at additional distribution locations including Tulare County EECU branches and local McDonald's stores. The bookmarks also include a coupon for a free Happy Meal.
Once a child reads five books and has their teacher sign off on the back of the Rawhide Readers bookmark, the bookmark becomes valid for four free tickets to any of the 2018 Reading Days, which will be held on April 10, May 8, July 18, July 31, and August 12. Each Reading Day will be paired with the giveaway of a free book to the first 200 Rawhide Readers to enter the gates that night.
The class that turns in the most bookmarks as a percentage of their class size will win a free class party courtesy of Max's Cookie Company.
The Rawhide wish to thank the Educational Employees Credit Union, RLMK Enterprises, and Wells Fargo for their sponsorship of the Rawhide Readers program. Additionally, the Rawhide thank First Five of Tulare County, Allstate Agent Rick Kunkleman, Visalia Sunset Rotary, the Kiwanis Club of Visalia-Sequoia, and the Visalia County Center Rotary for their sponsorship of book giveaways on Reading Days.
Any business or entities that would like to have Rawhide Reader Bookmarks available may contact Rawhide Community Relations Manager Micolette Pena by email at [email protected] or by phone at (559) 732-4433 extension 3.
The Rawhide will open their season on at home April 5^th against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes. For tickets and more information, please visit RawhideBaseball.com.