[Mpls] MN Viking supports reading at Northside Cub Store

[Shawn Lewis]

Minnesota Vikings defensive lineman Erasmus James, right.

Photo by Patrick O'Leary 


December 2, 2005

Heads turned Tuesday, November 29, at a Cub Foods store in 
north Minneapolis. Normally focused cashiers paused to smile 
and point and customers left half-bagged groceries at checkout 
lanes to join fans gathered in the lobby to get the autograph 
of Minnesota Vikings 2005 first-round draft pick and starting 
defensive lineman Erasmus James. 

But this was no ordinary sports autograph session; it was a 
book drive. James teamed up to share his love of reading with 
the African American Read-In (sponsored at the University of 
Minnesota by General College), Cub Foods Broadway, the local 
nonprofit organization Increasing the Peace Feeding the Least, 
and the Jordan Area Community Council. Books donated at the 
drive will be distributed to participants at this year's 17th 
Annual African American Read-In on February 5-6, 2006 
(see sidebar) and to the Network for the Development of Children 
of African Descent. 

The African American Read-In

The Read-In is a General College literacy initiative to 
increase reading and writing skills in African American students 
and encourage reading and writing across the curriculum. To celebrate 
Black History Month in February, schools, churches, libraries, 
bookstores, community and professional organizations, and 
interested citizens host Read-In events in their communities 
the first weekend of that month. Hosting a Read-In can be as 
simple as bringing together family and friends to share a book, 
or as elaborate as arranging public readings and media 
presentations that feature professional African American 
writers. Host packets and more information are available at 
the African American Read-In Web page. For more information, 
contact Read-In coordinator Ezra Hyland at hylan003 at umn.edu or 
612-626-4780.
http://www.gen.umn.edu/programs/read%2Din/

Sherman Patterson, safety coordinator for the Jordan neighborhood, 
responded to a parent who was shocked that a football star would 
hold a book drive at a Cub on Minneapolis's north side. "It is Erasmus's 
desire to work in an area that is often overlooked," said Patterson. 
"By coming to Cub, as opposed to a traditional sports outlet, he was 
assured of meeting real community members, not just sports fans." 
Cub store manager Ed Anderson echoed the importance of having positive 
figures come into the community. Cub Foods donated more than 50 books 
and magazines to the drive.

Posted by Shawn Lewis, Minnetonka


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