PRESS RELEASE: Coca-Cola and Portland Timbers Partner to Encourage Local Youth to Improve Their Health and Community
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 26, 2011
Coca-Cola and Portland Timbers Partner to Encourage Local
Youth to Improve Their Health and Community
$50,000 donation supports programs to encourage kids to walk and bike to school
Contact:
Anna Arodzero
Coca-Cola Refreshments
503-467-1377
Chris Metz
Portland Timbers
503-553-5433
Dan Anderson
Portland Bureau of Transportation
503- 823-3723
Dan.anderson@portlandoregon.gov
Coca-Cola and Portland Timbers Partner to Encourage Local
Youth to Improve Their Health and Community
$50,000 donation supports programs to encourage kids to walk and bike to school
PORTLAND, Ore. – With the school year just around the corner, Coca-Cola Refreshments and the Portland Timbers of Major League Soccer have partnered with Portland Safe Routes to School to get kids excited about walking and riding bikes to school. Coca-Cola and the Timbers awarded $50,000 to Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Safe Routes to School program to enhance efforts to teach students how to safely navigate their neighborhood on foot or by bicycle. The donation is a part of continued efforts by Coca-Cola and the Portland Timbers to promote a cleaner environment and encourage kids in our communities to become more active.
“On behalf of the Portland City Council, I’d like to thank Coca-Cola and the Portland Timbers for this generous donation to the Safe Routes to School program,” said Commissioner Randy Leonard. “This donation will help Safe Routes continue to educate kids how to safely walk and bike to school, and promote a healthy, active lifestyle from an early age.”
“We can’t thank Coca-Cola and the Portland Timbers enough for their support of Safe Routes to School. Walking and biking to school is a simple way for kids to get the exercise they need to stay fit. Healthy children are more productive in the classroom and grow up to be healthier adults,” said Tom Miller, Portland Bureau of Transportation Director. “This generous gift will help us keep the program up and running. Thank You.”
To celebrate the partnership between Safe Routes to School, Coca-Cola Refreshments and the Portland Timbers, 35 students from the Safe Routes program will ride their bikes to JELD-WEN Field and attend Tuesday’s soccer match against Argentina’s Independiente. At halftime, the students will join mascot Timber Joey and representatives from Coca-Cola and the Timbers to present the $50,000 check to Portland City Commissioner Randy Leonard and Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Tom Miller.
“We are honored to partner with our friends at Coca-Cola to help with such an important and worthwhile initiative,” Timbers COO Mike Golub said. “The Timbers and our partners like Coca-Cola are committed to Stand Together to help the youth of our community.”
“At Coca-Cola, we believe in supporting positive youth development and encouraging active, healthy lifestyles,” said Noel Coulson, Wilsonville Distribution Center manager. “We are proud to partner with the Portland Timbers to support Safe Routes to School to get kids walking, biking and improving their communities.”
The $50,000 donation supports Safe Routes to School’s pedestrian and bicycle safety education programs at more than 80 elementary schools throughout the city. These programs provide Portland youth with hands-on instruction in how to safely navigate their neighborhoods on foot or by bike. Safe Routes to School will teach more than 5,000 students this coming school year.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. For more information about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
About Portland Timbers
On March 20, 2009, Major League Soccer (MLS) awarded Portland the league’s 18th franchise to begin play in the top-flight professional soccer league starting in 2011. The Portland Timbers have marked their debut MLS season in 2011 in a significantly renovated JELD-WEN Field, which has emerged as one of the most exciting and authentic soccer environments in the country. The Timbers have been a beloved part of the Portland sports landscape since their early beginnings in the North American Soccer League in 1975, launching the era of “Soccer City USA” in the Rose City.
About Safe Routes to Schools
Safes Routes to School works to make bicycling and walking to and from school a safe, healthy alternative for children and their families. Program staff engage with school communities to encourage active transportation, teach safe bicycling and walking skills and build safer streets through traffic engineering. SR2S is a federal program that is locally managed by the Portland Bureau of Transportation. More information is available at www.saferoutesportland.org.
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