CHARLOTTE, N.C. & NASHVILLE, Tenn.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Residents in two of the nation’s most dynamic cities recently squared off to promote healthy, active lifestyles as part of the Coca-Cola Fit Family Challenge. After eight weeks of activity, both cities exceeded the program’s goals and will each receive a $10,000 grant for community programs designed to promote healthy and active lifestyles.
Coca-Cola challenged Charlotte and Nashville residents to exercise a total of 200,000 minutes with a community grant of $10,000 hanging in the balance. Both cities easily exceeded the goal with a total of over 1 million minutes of healthy activities.
In Nashville 787 families registered for the program and totaled 544,715 minutes of activity. Charlotte registered 980 families and reported 543,445 minutes spent exercising. The exemplary efforts of these cities have been rewarded with $10,000 grants from Coca-Cola.
Nashville’s $10,000 grant will be used to purchase additional exercise equipment for a new Sevier Park Community Center, which is under construction in a popular residential neighborhood south of downtown. The previous community center did not have a dedicated fitness room. The much-expanded facility will open later this fall.
“Mecklenburg County is pleased to accept this challenge money on behalf of the residents of Mecklenburg County who will benefit through the education of our school children by learning the importance of eating fresh foods by growing them in school-based gardens,” said Kim Ratliff, vice chair of the Board of County Commissioners.
Residents who participated in each city were also awarded prizes including: Harris Teeter gift cards, YMCA memberships, bicycles, fitness equipment and a Grand Prize family trip to Universal Orlando Resort.
“At Charlotte Parent, we could not be happier with the results of the Coca-Cola Fit Family Challenge and applaud the hours of hard work and dedication to fitness that each individual showed over the past eight weeks,” said Eve White, editor and publisher of Charlotte Parent.
“Nashville Parent has been proud to partner with Coca-Cola, YMCA of Middle Tennessee and Mayor Karl Dean to encourage Middle Tennessee families to get fit together and live healthier lifestyles,” said Stewart Day, Nashville Parent publisher. “Our goal was to make the Fit Family Challenge a fun, engaging way for families to do so, and I believe we accomplished that goal with the help of dedicated families all over this great city.”
“Since the first Coke was shared in 1886, our company has believed good things happen when people come together,” said Lauren Steele, senior vice president of corporate affairs, Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated. “The Fit Family Challenge is just another example of the Coca-Cola Company’s commitment to dealing with today’s important issues. We believe that to seriously address obesity, there needs to be an open and honest dialogue, coupled with a comprehensive approach toward promoting nutrition and physical exercise. Thanks to both Charlotte and Nashville for showing communities all over the country a positive way to promote healthy, active lifestyles for everyone.”
“Nashville loves a good competition and the Fit Family Challenge was a fun way to encourage families in Nashville to adopt a healthier, more active lifestyle,” Nashville Mayor Karl Dean said. “Our citizens took up the challenge to get out and get active, and as a result Nashville now has bragging rights and a generous grant that will add more opportunities for exercise in our community.”
“At Harris Teeter we were pleased to have been a part of this fun program that gets the whole family involved. Hopefully the Coca-Cola Fit Family Challenge will encourage development of healthier habits for both parents and children so we can all live happier, healthier lives,” said Danna Jones, communications specialist at Harris Teeter.
Charlotte-based Coca-Cola Bottling Co. Consolidated is the nation’s largest independent Coca-Cola bottler, selling a broad portfolio of beverages to fit into every diet and lifestyle.
Coca-Cola Fit Family Challenge
