Fall
is a beautiful season here in Northeast Ohio. The days are cool, the leaves are
changing colors, there are many fun fall events to participate in and its
football season. My sons play football and its fun watching their games.
My sons, Jack and Garrett, play football for the Berkshire Badgers
In
addition to watching local youth football, we support the hometown team; the
Cleveland Browns. Their stadium is just 45 minutes from our farm.
We
feel a small connection to the Browns because as dairy producers, we partner
with the NFL to fund Fuel Up to Play 60. This is an in-school nutrition and
physical activity program promoting a healthy lifestyle. I’m proud to be part
of this wellness program.
Jack loves to play!
To
amplify the message of an active lifestyle, Quaker, NFL, dairy farmers and
others have joined to launch “For the Love of Play”. This campaign encourages kids and adults to be active for 60 minutes of play a day as part of
a healthy lifestyle. Go to Love of Play
to join the action and learn how you can win exclusive NFL prizes.
Last week, I joined 150 school staff, teachers and
administrators at a Fuel Up to Play 60 (FUTP60) program advisor training camp
at the Cleveland Browns stadium. The purpose of the training is to motivate
and teach program advisors how to empower students to make a difference in
their school with FUTP60.
Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school-based program encouraging
students to eat healthy and be active. It’s sponsored by U.S. dairy farmers and
the National Football League. Both groups share values of promoting health and
wellness. The goal is teaching children good eating and exercise habits that
will last a lifetime.
Currently, FUTP60 has been adopted in 73,000 schools, reaching more than 11 million students nationwide. Since the program began in 2010, over 260 Ohio and West Virginia schools have received $795,000 in FUTP60 grants to make sustainable changes in their schools. Grants were used to acquire equipment such as milk vending machines, mobile breakfast and after school snack carts, and student activity stations.
I had the opportunity to represent Ohio dairy farmers at
this event. Dairy farmers invest $.10 per every 100 pounds of milk to a state check off program. A portion of these funds support FUTP60. Dairy products are a nutritious part
of a healthy diet. It’s important to share this message with school and
nutrition professionals.
Me addressing the group
Dr. Mike Thompson kicked off the session with some words of wisdom. He spoke about the importance
of character, making good decisions and being responsible. Two simple messages
that stuck in my mind; 1) Healthy In, Healthy Out, and 2) Good Choice, Poor
Choice, My Choice. He inspired us to be optimistic and focus on the future to
make a difference.
The first half of our session was in Brownstown inside the stadium
Joe Thomas, Cleveland Browns left tackle, addressed the
group. He’s a strong role model for students and adults. Joe has played in 104
consecutive games for the Browns. His positive attitude and commitment to what
he does is great motivation for everyone! When asked how he stays in shape and
avoids injury, he shared that he eats healthy foods, stretches well before
practice and games to maintain flexibility and regularly soaks in an ice bath
to sooth his muscles.
Joe Thomas, me & Scott Higgins (CEO, ADA Mideast)
Joe lead us onto the Browns field where we participated in
some physical activity; doing the cupid shuffle dance. It was fun!
On the field getting ready for the cupid shuffle
Chomps, Cleveland Browns Mascot, joined in the fun
After a delicious lunch, teachers, staff and students
representing several schools in Ohio presented explaining how they use FUTP60 funds
to promote healthy eating and physical activity. Because we as dairy producers invest
in this program, it was great to hear how it’s being implemented in schools. I
was impressed by the student involvement and creativity of the programming.
Thanks to the schools who are participating in FUTP60!
Last week I wrote about the "God Made a Farmer" commercial which aired during the Super Bowl. That was my favorite, but there was another commercial that got my attention.Have you seen this new Got Milk? spot featuring The Rock? It was shown for the first time during the Super Bowl.
Speaking of the Super Bowl, did you know that dairy farmers and professional football players have something in common? We’re both interested in promoting healthy kids. Dairy farmers and the NFL are partners in the Fuel Up to Play 60 program which encourages school-age children to eat healthy and get 60 minutes of physical activity every day.
Millions of children in more than 73,000 schools across the U.S. are participating in Fuel Up to Play 60. That means more kids are getting active and eating healthy foods, which include dairy products like milk, yogurt and cheese.
Thank you for drinking milk and including dairy foods in your snacks and meals!
As a point of interest, Chrysler agreed to donate $100,000 to the National FFA Foundation per 1 million times the "So God Made a Farmer" ad was seen, shared or emailed on its website. Chrysler agreed to donate up to $1 million, this target was met in less than five days!
