10 in 10: Storen makes a pitch for D.C. Public Library summer reading program

From the time they arrived from Montreal before the 2005 season, the Nationals have been a mainstay in the Washington, D.C., sports scene. But the Nats are also very active in the community, working diligently over the past decade to touch the lives of many in the region and proving that baseball has a further reach than wins and losses, balls and strikes, batters and pitchers. Each Thursday through mid-August, MASNsports.com's Byron Kerr will explore the Nationals' community outreach efforts, showing how far their reach has extended and how deeply committed to Washington, D.C., and the surrounding area the Nationals are.

The Nationals continue to sponsor the D.C. Public Library's summer reading program. Children ages 6 through 18 can register to complete the program at any one of the 26 D.C. Public Library locations. If they finish the program, they can earn two free tickets to a future Nationals game.

This year's summer reading theme is "Every Hero Has a Story." Nationals closer Drew Storen is a spokesperson for the summer reading program and remembers his hero when he was growing up.

"Obviously, baseball-wise, Ken Griffey Jr. was my role model," Storen said. "But there's plenty of different people throughout the years that were role models to me."

Like most youngsters, Storen didn't always appreciate a good read.

"In general, reading is something that as I got older I really started to appreciate more," he said. "As a kid, you're kinda like, 'Eh, you have to read because of school.' But as I got older, I really enjoyed reading. Getting to go last year to the library was great. You really can learn from it. In the offseason, I read quite a bit. Being able to share that with kids is big."

Storen thoroughly enjoyed being a part of the program last year and getting the chance to read to the kids. Storen's next reading event will be July 18 at the Tenley Library from 10-11 a.m. Stephen Strasburg will read at the Anacostia Library and Aaron Barrett at the Mount Pleasant Library at the same time.

"It was funny for me being on the other sides of things just reading a picture book like an elementary school teacher," Storen said. "They were all locked into the book. It's always cool any time you're around kids just to see a smile on their face. You don't necessarily understand how much you can reach out and do ... to make a kid's day."

Storen said continuing to read after the school year ends and before the next school year begins is important for children because it keeps their minds working and learning. Baseball players don't stop working out just because it's the All-Star break; they must continue to strengthen their bodies and keep working on baseball fundamentals and technique during the break. Reading books can similarly help kids keep their minds working during summer.

"It's a mental exercise," Storen said. "Just cause you have time, you can go and play and have fun, but at the same time, you have to keep your mind stimulated. For me, as I've gotten older, it's something I've really learned to keep my mind sharp. It really helps you out. I'm a big non-fiction guy. I like learning about people's stories."

I asked Storen about his favorite recent book.

"Coming back from my honeymoon this offseason, I read 'Unbroken.' I read that in a day," he said. "I couldn't put it down. Any time you can gain inspiration from true stories, that's something I really like. It's all about finding what your interests are. Books are great for that. With technology nowadays, you can always just get in on your phone. So that makes it a lot easier."

Miss any of the previous installments of "10 in 10" detailing the Nationals' community outreach efforts? Here is the list to date:

June 11 - Dream Foundation builds off success to introduce new initiative
June 18 - Nationals look to improve D.C. Little Leagues with new uniforms, equipment and fields
June 25 - Diabetes Care Complex critical to Dream Foundation mission
July 2 - ziMS Foundation has raised more than $1 million for MS research
July 9 - Span starts his own foundation to help single-parent families