Carlo Franzblau honored as Lightning Community Hero

Earlier this month, the Tampa Bay Lightning honored Carlo Franzblau as the Lightning Community Hero during the first period of the hockey game against the Montreal Canadiens.

The Community Hero program recognizes and awards grassroots heroes in the Tampa Bay community whose noble efforts make a positive impact on others.

Carlo received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, and will donate the money to Sing Out and Read. The grant will be used to expand the Family Literacy Project (FLiP), an in-home, individualized, e-learning program that helps struggling readers reach grade-level proficiency. The FLiP Program is offered to eligible families at no charge in order to extend the school day in an innovative and rewarding way. FLiP sessions are 12 weeks, and the grant will allow Sing Out and Read to reach 100 struggling young readers, ages 6-12, and change their lives forever.

Carlo works tirelessly to save at-risk youth in Tampa Bay from illiteracy. He has witnessed firsthand the widening reading achievement gap between low-income elementary school students and their more affluent peers. Franzbleau understands how critical it is for young students to master reading by the 3rd grade; most students who don't falter later on and end up dropping out before earning their high school diploma. Franzbleau believes reading is the foundation of all we can achieve, and he uses his love of children and music to narrow the reading achievement gap.

Carlo became the 483rd Lightning Community Hero since Jeff and Penny Vinik introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Sing Out and READ is honored and proud to receive this incredible award and so thrilled to see how many at-risk children and families this will impact!