Minute Maid and the Astros In Action Foundation are teaming up to sponsor “Read Around the Bases,” a YMCA pilot program founded by Karla Newton and aimed at encouraging children to read during the summer months.

READING AROUND THE BASES – Minute Maid and the Astros In Action Foundation are teaming up this summer to sponsor Read Around the Bases, a YMCA pilot program aimed at encouraging children to read during the summer months. Part of the effort includes “mystery readers” like Baseball Hall of Fame broadcaster Milo Hamilton reading to the children.

Read Around the Bases is a program open to any child between the ages of 6-15 and enrolled in any of four participating YMCA-affiliated Fort Bend summer camps.

Participating camps include:

-         Fort Bend Family YMCA, 4433 Cartwright Rd. in Missouri City;

-         Mustang Park, 4525 FM 521 North in Fresno;

-         Four Corners, 15700 Old Richmond in Sugar Land and

-         New St Phillips Missionary, 6135 Highway 521 in Arcola.

Children enrolled in Read Around the Bases will be encouraged to read at least four books during their summer break.  Each time a participant reads a book from a recommended book list, they will “run” the bases – one book, one base at a time. 

To mark their progress, each child will receive their own personalized baseball player card, which will be displayed on a wall-sized display of a baseball field, located at each of the five locations.  Once they have read four books and arrive at “home plate” they will be eligible to attend a free Astros game at the end of the summer.

“It is a pleasure and a privilege to be a part of Read Around the Bases,” Minute Maid’s Fred Arnold said. “Minute Maid strives to have a positive influence on its community and hopefully, this program will help to instill a life-long love of reading in these kids.”

“Mystery” readers comprised of former Houston Astros players and other special guests will read to all the kids at each location on the first day of the program. 

“The Astros In Action Foundation believes this program will be a great way to keep children reading during the summer.  Launching Read Around the Bases with the mystery readers event will count as the kids first book, so everyone starts out on first base the very first day,” Marian Harper, Houston Astros vice-president of foundation development, explained.

At the end of the summer, any child who has read at least the minimum four books will be entered into a drawing to win the Honor Ball, a baseball signed by one or more Houston Astros.  If a child reads more than four books, then their chances to win the Honor Ball go up with each additional book.

For more information about Read Around the Bases, contact the Missouri City YMCA at 281-499-9622.