TAMPA, FL – The Tampa Bay Lightning honored Leah Wooten as the Lightning Community Hero this evening during the first period of tonight’s game against the Montreal Canadiens. Wooten, who received a $50,000 donation from the Lightning Foundation and the Lightning Community Hero program, presented by Jabil, will donate the money to Bess the Book Bus.
Wooten has been a dedicated volunteer, ambassador, and trusted advisor with Bess the Book Bus, a Tampa-based mobile literacy outreach dedicated to instilling a love of reading in asset limited communities by supplying high quality books to children, caregivers, and educators, since 2002. Wooten played a crucial role in establishing Bess the Book Bus as a nonprofit and supporting its development throughout the years. She has remained one of the nonprofits most committed board members, actively fostering relationships, enhancing Board governance, fundraising and securing partnerships that have enabled them to thrive and create a sustainable future.
The funds from tonight’s grant will be used to support the mission of Bess the Book Bus. Specifically, the funding will support their Joy of Reading Pop-Up Book Fairs. The fairs will occur at 13 elementary schools, four times during the 2025-2026 school year. The schools chosen will strategically target those most in need.
Wooten became the 608th Lightning Community Hero since the Vinik Family introduced the Lightning Community Hero program in 2011-12 with a $10 million, five-season commitment to the Tampa Bay community. Through tonight’s game, in total, the Lightning Foundation has granted $32.77 million to over 760 unique nonprofits in the Greater Tampa Bay area. During the summer of 2021, the Vinik Family announced that the Community Hero program would continue its commitment with an additional $10 million through the 2025-26 season. Upon joining the ownership group of the Tampa Bay Lightning in October 2024, Doug Ostrover, Marc Lipschultz, and their families have teamed up with the Vinik Family to contribute to the program and ensure its continued success and lasting impact across the Tampa Bay community.
