A Seven-Day Healthy Living Camp Designed by the BET Foundation to Educate African-American Girls about Obesity and Practical Strategies for a Healthier Lifestyle
WASHINGTON, July 17 /PRNewswire/ -- With obesity in young children rising at alarming rates in our nation, the BET Foundation is back with its acclaimed "Summer Camp For Girls" running from July 20-27, 2008. Sponsored by BET Networks, General Mills, SUBWAY(R) Restaurants, and Wal-Mart Stores, the BET Foundation's "Summer Camp For Girls" will take place at the Alabama 4-H Youth Development Center campsite located in Columbiana, AL. This year's program supporters include the University of Alabama-Birmingham, School of Social Work, African-American Health Coalition of Houston, TX, Nek Nak, Charles the Chef, and the Alabama Cooperative Extension System.
(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO ) The week-long camp was specifically designed as an effective approach to help African-American girls and their parents identify and practice lifestyle changes that will assist in achieving and maintaining a healthy body weight and a positive self-image through health literacy, physical activity, healthy lifestyle choices, proper nutrition, and self-appreciation. The program components include: daily exercise & fitness activities; nutrition classes, healthy cooking demonstrations for kids, Media Smart Youth; art therapy; group counseling and self-esteem workshops; trust and confidence building exercises; arts and crafts; talent and fashion shows; movie nights; and special celebrity guest appearances. This year, Toccara Jones, Keri Hilson, Tiffany Evans, Teyanna Taylor and Miss Black USA, Kristen White will be on hand to share their experiences and encourage the young ladies to meet their goals of achieving a healthy lifestyle. The camp will also feature special guest nutritionist, Shirley Dolland from the Bell Institute for Health and Nutrition, an extension of General Mills.
The BET Foundation created this special camp as an innovative weight reduction and nutrition-based program for African-American girls ages 10 - 12 from low to moderate-income families. "The purpose is to provide young girls with the vital information and tools necessary to aid them in making healthy lifestyle choices, and to serve as a "health" advocate for their family and peers," states Lynda Dorman, Executive Director and Vice President. The camp curriculum will provide simple nutrition strategies; instill positive leadership and decision-making skills; and provide a fun-filled, memorable camp experience.
"General Mills is proud to extend its partnership with the BET Foundation's Summer Camp For Girls. The camp aligns with our corporate mission to 'Nourish Lives' and encourage consumers to lead healthier lives by making small changes that yield big results," states Kimberley Bow Sunday, Multicultural Marketing Manager.
One hundred and fifty young girls from various states including Wisconsin, Maryland, Virginia, Florida, New York, Tennessee, Alabama, North Carolina, Georgia, South Carolina, Illinois and Pennsylvania were selected for this wonderful, free of charge camp experience based on essays their parent/guardians submit expressing why they should participate in the one-week fitness program and how the experience will influence a healthier lifestyle. This summer, 120 girls were chosen.
"SUBWAY(R) Restaurants are very excited to be partnering with the BET Summer Camp for Girls," said Shannon Bowers, Brand Manager for the Subway Franchisee Advertising Fund Trust. "Grass roots initiatives such as this truly give the Subway brand a platform to support the African-American community as more people are choosing healthy, active lifestyles." ABOUT BET BET Networks, a subsidiary of Viacom, Inc. (NYSE:VIA) (NYSE:VIA.B), is the leading provider of media and entertainment for African Americans and consumers of Black culture on a global basis. The primary BET cable network reaches more than 84 million households and can be seen in the United States, Canada and the Caribbean. BET Digital Networks - BET J, BET Gospel, and BET Hip-Hop -- are brands that combine to serve a broader and more diverse audience than the core network. BET.com is the number one internet destination for the target audiences. BET Mobile delivers music, gaming, and video content to the target audiences on wireless devices across virtually all service providers. BET Event Productions is a full-scale event management and production company with festivals and live events spanning the globe. BET International delivers BET content to the consumers of Black culture around the world. BET Networks inspires its audiences to make a difference in their lives and communities with a series of impactful pro- social initiatives under the Touch BET umbrella.
ABOUT BET FOUNDATION The BET Foundation is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization created to raise public awareness to the numerous health-related challenges within African- American communities. Established in 2003, the BET Foundation takes a pioneering step in addressing the prevalence of obesity and related health concerns among African-Americans. Through specifically-tailored initiatives and targeted campaigns, the BET Foundation aims to insure that African Americans live longer and healthier lives. The BET Foundation includes public service announcements (PSAs); targeted programming segments; women's health symposiums and forums; health brochure materials; a dedicated toll-free hotline and website; and a nationwide Healthy BET Fitness Challenge contest to provide the tools and knowledge necessary for communities to develop long lasting healthy lifestyle habits. For more information, please visit http://www.ahealthybet.com/.
ABOUT GENERAL MILLS General Mills(R), with annual net sales of $13.4 billion, is a leading global manufacturer and marketer of consumer foods products based in Minneapolis. General Mills' mission is Nourishing Lives - innovating to make lives healthier, easier, and richer - while Nourishing Communities and Nourishing the Future. Its global brand portfolio includes Cheerios, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Haagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Old El Paso and more. With more than 100 consumer brands and operations in more than 100 countries, General Mills is also a leading supplier of baking and other food products to the foodservice and commercial baking industries. http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20070716/BETNETWORKSLOGO http://photoarchive.ap.org/ DATASOURCE: BET Networks CONTACT: Sonya Lockett of BET Networks Public Affairs, +1-212-205-3012, ; or Bernadette Simpao of BET Networks Corporate Communications, +1-212-205-3145, Web site: http://www.bet.com/ http://www.ahealthybet.com/
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