Started by the Grand Rapids Griffins in 2008, 20,000 children throughout seven West Michigan counties have turned their summer reading enjoyment into wintertime fun, thanks to partnerships between the Griffins and more than 50 branches of the Grand Rapids Public Library, Kent District Library, and Lakeland Library Cooperative.
The Rise joined the intiative in the summer of 2024, rewarding kids who complete their local library's summer reading program with two free tickets to a regular-season match.