FALCONS ANNOUNCE PARTNERSHIP WITH LINK TO LIBRARIES

Springfield, Mass. - The Springfield Falcons, AHL affiliate of the NHL's Columbus Blue Jackets, announced a partnership with Link to Libraries, an East Longmeadow-based non-profit organization that collects and distributes new and gently-used books to elementary schools and other non-profit organizations.

The Falcons formalized their partnership with Link to Libraries on Tuesday afternoon inside the library of Tatham Elementary School in West Springfield in a ceremony involving Cam Atkinson, the Falcons' leading scorer, and Sarah Pompea, the Falcons' Marketing & Promotions Coordinator. The event also involved Dr. Russell Johnston, West Springfield Superintendent of Schools, Paul Heath, Tatham Elementary School Principal, Susan Jaye-Kaplan, Link to Libraries Co-Founder, and Claire M. D'Amour-Daley, Big Y Foods Vice President of Corporate Communications.

As part of the Falcons' partnership with Link to Libraries, the club has adopted Tatham Elementary School through the program's new Business Book Link initiative, which connects local business to local public elementary schools. The Falcons have made a commitment for a three-year period to Link to Libraries to make the financial contribution for 200 books for each year of the partnership. Falcons staff members and players will take on an active role at the school to further enhance this partnership.

Formed in 2008, Link to Libraries has donated over 110,000 books to 400 sites in Western Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, and New York. Link to Libraries is made up of a volunteer staff of 31 adults and teens with no paid employees and is supported by grants, private donations from individuals, corporations, and book drives.

For more information on Link to Libraries, visit LinkToLibraries.org.