By Jerome Hubbard
Stlouisrams.com

St. Louis Rams owner Lucia Rodriguez, linebacker Chris Draft, and teammates Clifton Ryan, Keenan Burton and David Vobora, cheerleaders Lucy and Mary Beth and head coach Jim Haslett’s wife Beth Haslett traveled to Gary Gore Elementary School last week to donate books and speak about the importance of literacy. 

The books were collected through the “How About a Book Project” at Draft’s recent Counting Our Blessings Gala.  Draft encouraged all attendees to bring a book to the event or purchase a book at the event through an onsite sale sponsored by Borders Books. 

“It is important because we are not just giving the kids something and saying just play with it,” said Draft. “We are giving them something to educate them and empowering them to give that gift of literacy to other students.”

“It means a lot to me,” said Rodriguez. “It seems like these kids have a great start and great families that have the right values to instill the importance of literacy. We are just here to enforce it and congratulate them on a job well done.”

In addition to the books, the Rams gave the students book bags, tee shirts and hats. They also visited all of the classrooms in the school, reading to students and encouraging them to become active readers. 

“Reading is a key to my success,” said Carl Thomas, a 6th grader at Gary Gore Elementary School. “It is good for our hearts and minds.”

The student council members from Gary Gore Elementary will select some of the delivered books for their school. With the remaining books, they will create book baskets, which they will then deliver to other schools in the Jennings School District. The Gary Gore Elementary School 5th and 6th grade students will also adopt a 3rd grade class at Northview Elementary School to support those students in reading.