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CFL Saskatchewan Roughriders

Roughrider Foundation and Conexus Credit Union Kicks off Rider Reading Program at Grant Road School

December 11, 2024 - Canadian Football League (CFL)
Saskatchewan Roughriders News Release


The Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation is thrilled to welcome back the Rider Reading program- an initiative aimed at fostering a love of reading in students from kindergarten through Grade three and improving literacy rates across the province.

The Rider Reading Program reflects the Foundation's deep commitment to education, one of its three core pillars (along with health and amateur football). By bringing Roughrider player ambassadors into classrooms, the initiative inspires young learners to view reading as an enjoyable and valuable skill.

This year's program officially kicked off on Tuesday, Dec. 10, with a special event at Grant Road School (2501 Grant Rd.) where Roughriders players Micah Johnson, Brett Lauther and Mitch Picton spent the day visiting classrooms and reading to students. The day began with a brief program before Johnson, Lauther and Picton went into the classroom to read and spend time with the students.

"The Rider Reading Program is one of the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation's most popular programs because it joins together students' love of reading with their passion for the Saskatchewan Roughriders," Fuchs said. "We are privileged to kick off another year of this impactful program with the support of Conexus Credit Union and all Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation donors."

"At Conexus, we stand for a thriving Saskatchewan where everyone can reach their full potential," said Conexus Credit Union CEO, Celina Philpot. "We know that building literacy skills in our children is one of the best ways to ensure they can achieve success in school, and in life. That is why we are excited to deepen our existing partnership with the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation and to help bring this program to schools across the province."

In just the last year, the Rider Reading Program visited 105 schools, completing 404 reading presentations and reaching 12,270 students.

Passing Pages

In conjunction with the Rider Reading Program, the Saskatchewan Roughrider Foundation is thrilled to announce its newest literacy initiative: Passing Pages. From Dec. 1 to 24, 2024, the Passing Pages donation campaign invites individuals and organizations to support youth literacy across Saskatchewan by providing curriculum-specific books to classrooms in need. While all donations are appreciated, the campaign highlights two impactful giving options:

$100 donation - Supplies five books to a kindergarten classroom in need.

$1,000 donation - Provides an entire classroom with curriculum-specific books and includes a special visit from a Roughrider player ambassador.

For more information on the Rider Reading Program or Passing Pages, visit the Roughrider Foundation's Website.

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