Timeout for Reading returns to Lambeau

GREEN BAY – After COVID, children’s literacy levels started dropping significantly. That’s why in 2022, The Green Bay Packers started doing an annual literacy event known as “Timeout for Reading” as part of the Green Bay Packers Give Back.

Green Bay Packers Give Back is a community outreach initiative for the Packers to return the love and appreciation they receive to the community through special events and charities throughout the year.

To spread awareness and promote interest in reading, the Packers Give Back does several literacy events throughout the year.

“We were looking at the literacy rates in Brown County that came out after COVID and though we are not experts in this, we do have space where kids can come and enjoy and increase some excitement on reading,” said Community Relations Manager for the Green Bay Packers Katie Hermsen.

“We’ve seen really good results from our Tundra Tales reading program that takes place in the fall so we were trying to think of different ways to engage the youth and their families. We figured, why not do it at Lambeau?”

The Timeout for Reading event will take place on Saturday, March 14 from 9 a.m to noon at Lambeau Field.

“We try to align it around Dr. Seuss Birthday and those reading initiatives” Hermsen noted. There are three readings that will take place at the event, the first is by Cameron Moreland, NBC 26 Chief Meteorologist at 9:30 a.m. The second reading to take place will be a reading in Spanish by Hermsen herself, at 10:30 a.m. Hermsen had done the reading in Spanish three years ago and is excited to do it again.

“Its just a really nice way to reconnect with the language and get kids thinking about different words, phrases and languages in addition to that building of reading,” Hermsen said.

The last reading of the day, at 11 a.m, will be by a surprise Packers player, either current or former. Last year, the surprise Packers player was Kevin Barry, a retired offensive tackle.
“Last year there were about 750 kids and this year we are hoping to get to about a thousand to join,” said Hermsen.

There will be free books and bookmarks for children pre-K through fifth grade to pick out. Up to 1,500 books are bought and supplied by the Packers through Scholastic. With some books leftover from previous years, there will then be about 2,000 books for the children from which to choose.

There are also designated special reading areas for the children to have some quiet reading time with their new books.

There will also be different activity booths and giveaways from Emplify Health by Bellin, Howe Community Resource Center, NBC 26 and Oneida Reads.

This event along with all the other charity events Packers Give Back does raised over $13 million in charity impact last year. This year they are striving for that same goal.

There is no registration necessary for the event — it is completely free and open to the public.