Free healthy refreshments in today’s Red Cross walkathon

Participants in today’s annual walkathon of the Northern Mariana Islands’ chapter of the American Red Cross will once again be treated to free healthful foods and drinks.

Subway Restaurants, Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Micronesia), Inc., and Foremost Foods Saipan will have a food station at the Kilili Beach Park where the 10-kilometer walk to the Garapan Fishing Base will start. Sixteen giant subs from Subway Restaurants, Powerade from Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Micronesia), Inc., and Crystal Clear water and Foremost Orange Juice from Foremost Foods Saipan await walkers at the 4H Building in Susupe.

Another exciting attraction to this year’s event is the one-gigabyte MP3 player to be given to participants who are able to raise $75 on their pledge form. Those who were able to raise $15 will receive a cool walkathon T-shirt. Other prizes include a computer digital camera, Nintendo Wii, cell phones, movie passes, water park passes, banana boat rides, and gift certificates from other sponsors.

Other highlights include a health fair where volunteers provide free blood sugar testing, blood pressure check, cooking demos, face painting, a bounce house and games for kids. There will also be a Foremost Health Fair Booth where participants will be treated to free samples of healthful food from Foremost Foods Saipan.

Last year, 1,500 people showed up at the event; NMI American Red Cross was also able to raise $36,000 for various community projects. In 2006, approximately $40,000 was raised, according John Hirsh, executive director of ARC’s NMI chapter.

Hirsh said they are hoping for a higher turnout this year. “We really try to widen our participation by encouraging businesses and groups to participate, aside from the school kids. We are hoping for a bigger one,” he said.

The walkathon will be held simultaneously in all three main islands of the CNMI—Saipan, Tinian and Rota.

Subway Restaurants, Coca-Cola Beverage Co. (Micronesia), Inc., and Foremost Foods have consistently been premier sponsors of the event through the years. Since 2007, Glimpses of Saipan has supported the NMI chapter of the American Red Cross in spreading the word about the walkathon to the community.

“As always, we, as a group of companies in the healthful food and beverage sector, do our share in promoting healthy eating habits in the community, and what better venue to do so than in the annual NMI American Red Cross walkathon,” Johnnie Fong, managing director for Coca-Cola and Foremost Foods, and president of Subway Investments Corp., said.[B][I] (PR)[/I][/B]