Cleveland Browns players deliver big check to Milkovich Middle School
At an extremely energetic pep rally at the Milkovich Middle School in Maple Heights members of the Cleveland Browns, official Cleveland Browns mascot Chomps and representatives of the American Dairy Association Mideast came together to present a $10,000 Fuel Up to Play 60 Hometown Grant this past Tuesday.
After watching the school’s outstanding marching band and cheer team perform DL Larry Ogunjobi and RB Duke Johnson, Jr. talked about how good nutrition is vital to their performance on the field and in the classrooms. They told about their favorite “go to” snacks and recovery foods that they depend on to keep their bodies working at peak performance levels.
After this, the $10,000 check was presented and members of the school’s nutrition team were introduced. These are the ladies who design the meals with proper nutrient balance for all the students in the huge school complex on Stafford Avenue. The Cleveland Browns players then distributed T-shirts to various lucky winners of a school wide drawing.
Following the pep rally, members of the various school athletic teams joined the two Cleveland Browns players out on the school’s athletic field for some passing and kicking competitions (resulting in pairs of Cleveland Browns athletic shoes going to the winners) as well as autographs and photo ops.
The presented check will go towards the purchase of two Healthy Food Carts equipped with menu boards, signage and promotional food items. The carts will be made available to offer healthy food alternatives of after school snacks, during special school activities and sporting events throughout the school district.
The visit is part of the Cleveland Browns First and Ten Initiative of which #give10 is a vital component. Fans around the world are encouraged by the Cleveland Browns to register at their team’s website found at www.clevelandbrowns.com by clicking on “Give Back” to register and pledge ten hours of community service in the space of one year. After fulfilling their pledge, participants are invited back to share their experiences with others.
This program has been active since June of 2014 and is the only program in the NFL that promotes long term volunteering that unifies the team with its fan base. Over 1.5 million hours of volunteer hours have been pledged since the programs inception.
The Cleveland Browns PLAY 60 movement is part of the nationwide NFL program geared to encourage the youth to be physically active at least 60 minutes every day. This works hand in hand with the Fuel Up to Play 60 that is an in school nutrition and [physical activity program promoted also by the National Football League and the National Dairy Council. The program is designed to encourage young people to take action for their own health by implementing long term dietary changes. The students are encouraged to consume nutrient rich foods that include low-fat dairy, fruits, vegetables and whole grain products with a minimum of 60 minutes of physical activity each day. Last year 14 million students made healthier food choices combined with physical activity programs as a result of the program.