SALT LAKE CITY - As part of its continued efforts to promote healthy lifestyles among children, Real Salt Lake is teaming up with the charitable arm of Major League Soccer, MLS W.O.R.K.S., and the Right to Play organization to launch a pair of initiatives that will help keep kids active throughout the summer months. RSL and MLS W.O.R.K.S. have announced the launch of the Active Bodies Active Minds initiative, presented by Chick-fil-A, a program encourages children to stay physically and mentally active during the summer by challenging them to reach certain reading and exercise goals each month. In addition, RSL defender and Right To Play Athlete Ambassador Chris Wingert will help Utah's MLS side host the Right To Play organization at Rice-Eccles Stadium for Saturday's contest against the New England Revolution.
Active Bodies Active Minds
The purpose behind the Active Bodies Active Minds program is to help children achieve better grades in school and be physically active year-round, and with the help of Real Salt Lake, eight-page activity books will be distributed throughout the Salt Lake community in the upcoming weeks. The booklets contain program details and activities while directing readers to the MLS W.O.R.K.S. official website, www.MLSnet.com/works , where, with parental supervision, children can sign up and begin to log their reading and exercise hours.
Participants are eligible to receive spectacular prizes through the Active Bodies Active Minds program. Children who have registered by June 22, 2008, are automatically entered into a sweepstakes to win a trip for a family of four to the 2008 Pepsi MLS All-Star game in Toronto. Participants that complete the program are also entered into a sweepstakes to win a three-day session at The David Beckham Academy, housed at The Home Depot Center just outside of Los Angeles. There are also monthly sweepstakes offered, with prizes including autographed soccer balls, MLS W.O.R.K.S. T-shirts, and Summer Bridge Activities learning kits.
To help activate the program throughout the Salt Lake area, Real Salt Lake has teamed up with Chick-fil-A, who will provide further program incentives. Children who complete the reading challenges of the program will receive a 4 oz. Ice Dream treat, while participants that complete both the reading and physical challenges will receive a four-piece chicken nugget kid's meal.
For more information about the Active Bodies Active Minds initiative, including how to register for the summer program, please visit www.MLSnet.com/works or contact Morgan Bramble mbramble@realsaltlake.com; 801-924-8574) in the Real Salt Lake front office.
Right to Play
Real Salt Lake is teaming up with RSL defender and Right To Play Athlete Ambassador Chris Wingert to host the Right To Play organization on Saturday, June 21, at Rice-Eccles Stadium. Carnival Real will house a Right To Play booth that will feature Shannon Bahrke, an Olympic freestyle skier and silver medalist, and Patrick Meek, a member of the United States Speed Skating Team, who will each be available to sign autographs for fans.
As part of Right To Play's involvement on Saturday, the organization will be holding a silent auction fundraiser that will include an RSL team autographed jersey and more. Also, as part of the Right To Play event, each member of the Mountain West Credit Union Dream Team will receive a red Right To Play ball from each player during the pre-game ceremonies.
Right To Play is an international humanitarian organization that uses sport and play programs to improve health, develop life skills, and foster peace for children and communities in the most disadvantaged areas of the world. Working in both the humanitarian and development context, Right To Play trains local community leaders as coaches to deliver its programs in more than 20 countries affected by war, poverty, and disease in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. For more information, including how to participate in Right to Play's Red Ball donation program, please visit
