Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit By Awarding One School $25,000 To Improve Youth Fitness

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Aug. 1, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- With one third of American children overweight and 75 percent not getting enough daily exercise, Henkel, the company behind some of the nation's leading brands, including Dial^®, Purex^®, Right Guard^® and Soft Scrub^®, is actively addressing this urgent health and fitness crisis facing our nation's youth. In cooperation with Alliance for a Healthier Generation (AHG), Henkel today announced the launch of its annual Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program in an effort to make a change and improve the quality of life of an entire generation. With schools facing budget cuts and limited resources across the country, the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program will award one deserving school with $25,000 to be used toward equipment and services to enhance their students' health and fitness education.

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"We're thrilled to see Henkel's longstanding commitment to social responsibility come to life through our Henkel Helps program," said Natalie Violi, Director of Corporate Communications for Henkel. "In the past two years, the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program has generated tremendous excitement and celebrated youth fitness in communities throughout the U.S., and we're looking forward to offering yet another school the opportunity to improve its fitness programs."

The Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit contest encourages parents, educators and community members to nominate their local school by answering the fundamental question, "How could $25,000 be used to improve fitness, inspire self-esteem and build teamwork at your school?" Nominations are being accepted nationwide now through Sept. 16 at www.HenkelHelps.com.

Based on relevance, originality and inspiration of all of the nominations submitted, Henkel will select five finalists. Finalists will receive a video camera to create a brief video that brings to life the health and fitness issues facing their school and their plan for making the most of the $25,000 prize. The winning school will be determined by a public voting process during which schools, communities and families are encouraged to rally support for their school.

One of the nation's leading health authorities, Joy Bauer, MS, RD, CDN, has teamed up with Henkel to support the program, inspiring families across the country to get in shape together by offering reliable, practical, and simple exercise and healthy eating tips that are easy for everyone to implement. "The Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit program fosters physical activity and education in communities across the country. I encourage educators, parents and community members everywhere to nominate their local school to help improve youth fitness. It's a simple way for both kids and parents to take charge of their personal health and wellness," said Bauer. "I've always believed that it's never too late or too early to reap the benefits of healthy living."

Additionally, families can share their stories on the Henkel Helps website about how they commit to being fit together for a chance to win one of 18 Fit Prize Packs, consisting of Henkel products, a $250 gift card and a Fitbit Ultra Activity Tracker. Individuals also can share their fitness stories on Facebook to encourage friends to commit to fitness and for their own chance to win. To learn more about the Henkel Helps Get Kids Fit contest and Joy's fitness and health tips, visit www.HenkelHelps.com or www.Facebook.com/HenkelHelps.

About the Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Alliance for a Healthier Generation works to address one of the nation's leading public health threats – childhood obesity. The goal of the Alliance is to reduce the nationwide prevalence of childhood obesity by 2015, and to empower kids nationwide to make healthy lifestyle choices. Founded in 2005 by the American Heart Association and William J. Clinton Foundation, the Alliance works to positively affect the places that can make a difference to a child's health: homes, schools, doctor's offices and communities.

About Henkel

Henkel operates worldwide with leading brands and technologies in three business areas: Laundry & Home Care, Cosmetics/Toiletries and Adhesive Technologies. Founded in 1876, Henkel holds globally leading market positions both in the consumer and industrial businesses with well-known brands such as Persil, Schwarzkopf and Loctite. Henkel employs about 47,000 people and reported sales of $21.7 billion and adjusted operating profit of $2.8 billion in fiscal 2011. Henkel's preferred shares are listed in the German stock index DAX. Henkel markets a wide range of well-known consumer and industrial brands in North America, including Dial® soaps, Purex® laundry detergents, Right Guard® antiperspirants, got2b® hair gels, and Loctite® adhesives. Visit www.henkelna.com for more information.

SOURCE Henkel