September 5, 2008

ANN ARBOR, MICHIGAN  - The HPC “Powered by Altarum” National Women’s Cycling Team will continue its national advocacy for childhood obesity prevention by teaching a day-long series of courses on September 8th to the students of Creekside Intermediate School in Dexter, Michigan.

The team will teach six one hour courses, working participants through five “stations” focused on different topics. The stations provide students with an overview of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle; strength and flexibility; race strategy; fitness training; and bike safety.

“The HPC ‘Powered by Altarum’ cycling team gives real world examples to our students of what lifetime fitness and nutrition is all about,” said Larry Cobler, an Altarum Institute employee and President of Dexter Community Schools Board of Education. “We look forward to having the team do this again in the future.”

Russ Brewster, President of the Joan C. Banfield Foundation, began the tradition of bringing female athletes to the Dexter schools.

The women’s cycling team – sponsored by Ann Arbor-based Altarum Institute – races at a national professional level and will compete in the Priority Health Ann Arbor Cycling Classic September 7th. The courses at Creekside are part of the team’s advocacy effort to combat childhood obesity by promoting fitness and cycling. The team’s advocacy work has been wide-ranging, including a visit to Congress in May, where the team met with Congressman John Dingell and Senator Debbie Stabenow to promote women’s health and cycling.

“I can’t say enough about the work this team does,” said Altarum Institute President and CEO Linc Smith. “At Altarum, we work on policy and initiatives to promote healthy living and to prevent obesity, but this team lives that message. I can’t think of stronger examples for our children than the incredible women of the HPC ‘Powered by Altarum’ cycling team.”

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