Hershey Company Kicks Off 34th Annual Track & Field Games In Nearly 4,000 Communities

Source: The Hershey Company

Olympic Greats Carl Lewis, Rafer Johnson Return as Ambassadors for one of North America's longest-running youth fitness initiatives, which is free to participants

HERSHEY, Pa. - The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) announced today that it has officially opened registration for the 2011 Hershey®'s Track & Field Games, the company's long-running, free youth fitness initiative that takes place in nearly 4,000 communities throughout North America.

Now entering its 34th year, Hershey's Track & Field Games is the largest youth sports program of its kind in North America. It is designed to encourage physical fitness and sportsmanship for youth of all skill levels ages 9 to 14. Information on the nearest Hershey's Track & Field Games local events, including how to register, is available at www.hersheystrackandfield.com.

More than 10 million youth athletes have participated in the Hershey's Track & Field Games over the program's previous 33 years - all at no cost of entry. And while several Olympic athletes received their start through the program, the mission of the Games is simply to provide kids with a fun and easy way to become active and engaged in healthy activities.

Olympic legends Carl Lewis, one of only two athletes ever to capture nine gold medals, and Rafer Johnson, winner of the decathlon gold medal at the 1960 Games in Rome, will once again serve as Hershey's Track & Field Games ambassadors.

This year, Hershey is teaming up with the Nike Reuse-A-Shoe program, a unique program that collects old, worn-out athletic shoes to be recycled into Nike Grind, a material used in creating athletic and playground surfaces, as well as select Nike products. Program participants will be invited to bring used athletic shoes to state and provincial meets, which will then be recycled into Nike Grind. A Hershey's Track & Field Games playground will be awarded to a participating local community as part of the program's work with Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program. Since its inception in the early 1990's, Nike's Reuse-A-Shoe program has recycled more than 25 million pairs of athletic shoes into Nike Grind.

"The Hershey Company is more committed than ever to promoting physical activity and sportsmanship among young people," said Jim George, Vice President, Corporate Social Responsibility, The Hershey Company, and Hershey's Track & Field Games Chairman of the Board. "Working with Nike's innovative Reuse-A-Shoe program, which helps kids get more involved in environmental stewardship, is a wonderful new component that will help us on our mission to create fun fitness opportunities for kids throughout North America."

In 2010, thousands of kids in nearly 4,000 North American communities participated in the Hershey's Track & Field Games. Once again this year, the top boys and girls who advance through local, district (where applicable), and state/provincial Hershey's Track & Field Games events will be eligible to qualify for their regional team and receive an all-expense-paid trip to compete in this summer's 2011 North American Final Meet in Hershey, Pa., courtesy of The Hershey Company.

Hershey also announced the continuation of its Hershey's FastTrack to Sports Starters Guide, which includes coach's cards and skill activities, and is available for new local meet coordinators. Hershey's FastTrack to Sports was developed in conjunction with Carl Lewis and Athletics Canada to instruct children in the basics of track and field, which serve as the fundamentals for all sports and many everyday activities. It was first launched in 2007 as a pilot program for the National Recreation and Park Association and is now available by registering a local meet within your community at www.hersheystrackandfield.com. The site also offers helpful information, materials and lesson plans that teach adults and children basic running, jumping and throwing skills.

For more information on the Hershey's Track and Field Games and the North American Final meet, visit www.hersheystrackandfield.com.About Hershey's Track & Field Games

Founded in 1975 by Dr. Donald P. Cohen in Charleston, W.Va., Hershey's Track & Field Games has grown from a local playground event in a single community to an international program encouraging physical fitness among youths and sportsmanship between peers. More than 10 million children from the United States and Canada have participated in the Hershey's Track & Field Games to date. Children interested in participating in Hershey's Track & Field Games or adults interested in hosting a qualifying meet in their town can visit www.hersheystrackandfield.com. The Hershey Company provides North American funding for Hershey's Track & Field Games. Additional partners are the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), National Association for Sport and Physical Education (NYSPE) & USA Track & Field and Athletics Canada. Hershey's Track & Field Games is the largest youth sports program of its kind with thousands of children participating in the program yearly, representing over 4,000 communities.

About The Hershey Company

The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest producer of quality chocolate in North America and a global leader in chocolate and sugar confectionery. Headquartered in Hershey, Pa., The Hershey Company has operations throughout the world and more than 12,000 employees. With revenues of more than $5 billion, Hershey offers such iconic brands as Hershey's, Reese's, Hershey's Kisses, Kit Kat, Twizzlers and Ice Breakers as well as the smooth, creamy indulgence of Hershey's Bliss chocolates. Hershey is a leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey's Special Dark and Hershey's Extra Dark. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger and Dagoba. For more than 100 years, The Hershey Company has been a leader in making a positive difference in the communities where we live, work and do business. The Milton Hershey School, established by the company's founder in 1909, provides a nurturing environment, quality education, housing, and medical care at no cost to children in social and financial need. The School is administered by the Hershey Trust Company, Hershey's largest shareholder, making the students of Milton Hershey School direct beneficiaries of Hershey's success. Please visit us at www.hersheys.com.

Related Content

Technogym Sponsors the Clinton Health Matters Annual Activation Summit

Source: Technogym

 New York, NY – January 21, 2015 - Technogym (www.technogym.com),a world leading company supplying fitness and wellness products, services and solutions,will be an official sponsor for the Clinton Health Matters Initiative's (CHMI) 2015 Health Matters Annual Activation Summitin Indian Wells, CA from January 25 to 27.  Technogym constantly strives to promote health and wellness causes amongst both thought leaders and consumers through various social and public health initiatives, and the company is proud to work with CHMI again, representing the second year that the organizations are working together.

read more
McMillan Pazdan Smith Announces New Project Designer

SOURCE: McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture

GREENVILLE, SC – McMillan Pazdan Smith Architecture is pleased to announce the recent hire of Michael Allen, a project designer and LEED accredited professional.

read more
Incline Equity Partners Invests in BCI Burke Company

SOURCE: BCI Burke Company LLC 

Founded in 1920 and headquartered in Fond du Lac, WI, Burke is a leading designer, manufacturer and marketer of commercial playground and leisure equipment.  The Company’s expansive product set is sold into multiple end markets including parks/recreation, school, housing/developer, and day care markets.  Burke is committed to inventing and Reinventing Play™, and to providing market differentiating support to its independent representative network.  

read more
Seattle Mariners to Use LED Technology to Light Safeco

Source: Seattle Mariners

The Seattle Mariners Tuesday announced that Safeco Field will be the first Major League Baseball facility to illuminate the playing field with LED lights.

read more
2015 Super Bowl to be First Played Under LED Lights

Source: Ephesus Lighting

SYRACUSE, NY, JANUARY 20, 2015 - It's not the first time a championship football game will be played at University of Phoenix Stadium and the two teams will not be there for the first time.  But for the first time ever, the big game will be illuminated by high performance LED stadium lights from Ephesus Lighting, Inc., the leader in providing LED lighting solutions for sports facilities.

read more
More than 2M Pounds of Material Diverted from Landfill in 2014 GameDay Recycling Challenge

SOURCE: Keep America Beautiful

WASHINGTON, D.C. (Jan. 20, 2015) – College football stadiums are full of passionate fans, unforgettable plays, and ample opportunity for waste reduction and recycling. This season, college and university students and alumni taking part in the GameDay Recycling Challenge recycled or reused 1,098 tons of bottles, cans, paper, cardboard, food scraps, and other recyclables, resulting in a reduction of 3,358 metric tons of greenhouses gases emitted. This is equivalent to the annual greenhouse gas emissions from 707 passenger vehicles, or the emissions produced by the annual electricity use of 306 households.

read more
NATA Offers Guidelines for Safe Exercise in Cold Weather

SOURCE: National Athletic Trainers’ Association

DALLAS, December 19, 2014 – With the holidays here, shorter days of sunlight and cold weather conditions across the country, it’s important to exercise or maintain physical activity with safety and good results in mind. The National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has reissued guidelines that people of all ages can follow to reduce the risk of injuries and illnesses that may occur from cold weather activity. 

read more
SFIA Hires Health & Tax Lobbyists to Help Pass PHIT Act

SOURCE:  Sports & Fitness Industry Association

SILVER SPRING, MD – January 14, 2015 – In a major step forward for the Sports & Fitness Industry Association’s (SFIA) Increase Participation Plan (IPP), the association has hired the D. Major Group and West Front Strategies to assist in its lobbying efforts to pass the Personal Health Investment Today (PHIT) Act. 

read more