Mequon, WI – Gill and the Lakeshore Chinooks want you to get hooked on reading. For the first time ever, the Chinooks are introducing Gill’s Reading Challenge. Through the Reading Challenge, the Chinooks hope to increase literacy throughout schools and help get students excited about reading.

The Challenge is a free program and is open to any school in southeastern Wisconsin. Gill’s Reading Challenge is an eight week program featuring four two-week segments. Each two-week segment represents a base (1^st, 2^nd, 3^rd, Home). Schools can determine their program start date but all programs must conclude by May 31^st, 2015.

The program is intended for students in grades K-8^th. Schools and teachers will have the ability to set the students’ goals for each base whether it is a set number of minutes, number of books, or number of pages read. When a student accomplishes their goal for each base, they will be rewarded with the corresponding prize. Prizes include a Chinooks pencil, Chinooks poster, Kids Zone pass, and a game ticket to a 2015 Chinooks home game! Students will also receive a certificate of completion when they have accomplished all four goals. At the start of the program, students will each be given a Chinooks bookmark to help track their progress throughout.

The Lakeshore Chinooks will provide all supplies for teachers and students. At the start of the challenge, the coordinators will receive step by step instructions, introduction letter for parents, bookmarks for students, student goal and progress chart for the classroom, teacher tracking charts, and incentive prizes. Coordinators will also receive two free ticket vouchers and a concession voucher as a thank you for serving as the coordinator for their school.

Gill will also be available to come to your school and help kickoff your reading program. Appearance dates and times are limited to school day hours and are scheduled on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information and to get your school signed up to participate in Gill’s Reading Challenge, contact Ashley Sugden at 262-618-4659 or email ashleys@lakeshorechinooks.com. We hope you will get hooked on reading in 2015!

The Lakeshore Chinooks are a member of the finest developmental league for elite college baseball players, the Northwoods League. Playing its 22^nd season of summer collegiate baseball, the Northwoods League is the largest organized baseball league in the world with 18 teams, drawing significantly more fans, in a friendly ballpark experience, than any league of its kind. A valuable training ground for coaches, umpires and front office staff, more than 120 Northwoods League players have advanced to Major League Baseball, including Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer (WAS) and MLB All-Stars Chris Sale (CWS), Jordan Zimmermann (WAS), Curtis Granderson (NYM), Allen Craig (BOS) and Ben Zobrist (TB). All league games are viewable live via the Northwoods League YouTube channel.  For more information, visit www.lakeshorechinooks.com.