Stay 'Totally' Healthy During National Volunteer Week By Logging Good

CABOT, Vt., April 3, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- In honor of National Volunteer Week, Cabot Creamery Cooperative, the farm family owned dairy cooperative widely known as the makers of the "World's Best Cheddar," is launching Reward Volunteers 5.0. For one full year, from March 14, 2014 to March 14, 2015, Reward Volunteers 5.0 will continue to honor volunteers from across the country with a variety of incredible prizes, including cash for non-profit organizations, vacation packages, gift cards, gift baskets featuring Cabot's award-winning cheddar, and a host of other prizes.

National Volunteer Week, a program of Points of Light, which is a major Sponsor of Reward Volunteers, is celebrating its 40^th anniversary this year, with the goal of inspiring and encouraging people to become volunteers within their communities. Other key Reward Volunteers 5.0 national sponsors include: AARP Create The Good, Co-Op-Stronger Together, All For Good, and Marriott.

"The dairy farm families throughout New England and New York who own Cabot have practiced community service and volunteerism for generations," says Cabot CEO Richard Stammer. "Their giving spirit and actions are integral to their communities, serving as town council members, firefighters, Sunday school teachers, classroom aides, soup kitchen servers, and many other acts of goodness. Echoing their example in their brand's promotions, Cabot supports community activism and involvement through a number of programs Cabot created: Reward Volunteers (since 2012); The Community Celebrity Award Cruise (since 2010); The 2012 Community Tour, and the upcoming 2014 Community Tour. Through these programs, we reward those who do good, those who give to others with little thought to self, and we hope to inspire more such good deeds."

"While Reward Volunteers is a great way for people to earn prizes for themselves and the organizations they serve," according to Cabot Registered Dietitian and Fit Health Team creator Sara Wing, "it's equally important to understand that volunteering can be good for your health. Volunteering is as good for you as it is for those you serve.  Community service makes a huge difference in the lives of others, but importantly it also has an extraordinarily positive mental and physical impact on your life," says Wing.

Here are just a few of the mental and physical health benefits of volunteering according to a variety of medical and psychological sources, including The Corporation For National Community Service report on The Health Benefits of Volunteering:

• Decreases risk of depression by increasing social interaction and helping form a support system and build relationships.
• Provides a sense of purpose and fulfillment and increases self-confidence.
• Supports staying physically active. There are many volunteer activities that can get you up and moving while helping others at the same time.
• Can reduce stress levels and can also reinforce the need to slow down and appreciate what you have.
• "The Happiness Effect" – Studies show that the more you volunteer, the happier you are. Helping others releases dopamine in the brain, which elevates your mood.

Reward Volunteers launched in February of 2012. Since then, the program has grown every month, and given away thousands of dollars in cash and prizes to deserving volunteers and volunteer organizations. "Reward Volunteers has been a success in every aspect," says Stammer. "To date, more than 167,000 volunteer hours have benefited more than 2,400 organizations."

The Reward Volunteers iPhone App and web widget from Cabot Creamery Cooperative enables individuals and organizations to track the time they spend volunteering in their communities, post to Facebook, and earn rewards for themselves and the organizations they serve. At the end of each month, Cabot randomly rewards volunteers for their hard work, and for inspiring friends and family to do the same, with a variety of prizes. The more hours volunteers log, the more chances to win. Participation is absolutely free.

The prize list has grown for Reward Volunteers 5.0, and includes:

• $8,000 in cash prizes for non-profit organizations
• Farm vacations to Liberty Hill Farm, Sprout Creek Farm, Emergo Farm, Escobars Inn, Couture's Bed & Breakfast, Mountain View Inn
• Killington Resort Golf and Stay Package
• Wine Weekend Getaway at The Red Clover Inn
• A Year's Supply of Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream
• Gift cards courtesy of King Arthur Flour, Dakin Farm
• Custom Painted Cabot Snowboards
• Green Mountain Coffee Keurig Machines
• Giant Transend EX Bicycle from The Bike Cooperative
• Cabot Cheddar Gift Packs
• Cloumage Chef Pack from Shy Brothers Farm
• Dansko Shoes
• Thorncrest Milk House Chocolates
• Neighborly Farms Gift Pack
• Hager's Farm Market Gift Box
• Taylor Brothers Sugarhouse & Creamery Gift Box
• Wheeler Woven Scarves
• ...and much more! (Full prize list available at: rewardvolunteers.coop/prizes)

It's not uncommon to spend hours or even days doing volunteer work – which begs the question, "what are your options for quick, healthy meals to enjoy before, during or even after a productive day of volunteer service?"

"We know volunteering takes time," says Wing, "but it's still important to try to provide your family a healthy homemade meal.  Our Make-Ahead Spaghetti Pie is the perfect go-to dish that can easily be made ahead of time for those days when you're busy volunteering.   It's inexpensive to make and can be easily paired with your favorite side salad or roasted veggies; plus it's rich in nutrients like protein and calcium so it makes you feel good about serving it, too."

MAKE-AHEAD SPAGHETTI PIE
Makes 8 servings

Ingredients:

1 pound lean ground turkey or extra-lean ground beef, 
1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper, 1 (28-ounce) can crushed tomatoes with Italian herbs, 1 (8-ounce) container Cabot Light Sour Cream, 2 teaspoons chopped garlic, 6 ounces Cabot Tomato Basil Cheddar or Sharp Cheddar*, grated (about 1 1/2 cups) divided, 4 cups hot cooked spaghetti (about 8 ounces uncooked pasta), Cooking spray

Directions:
1. Cook meat in a large skillet over medium heat until browned, stirring to crumble. Stir in salt, pepper, and crushed tomatoes. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer for 5-10 minutes or until thickened.
2. Meanwhile, combine sour cream, garlic and 1/2 cup cheddar in a small bowl. Place spaghetti noodles in a 9-inch deep-dish pie plate or 2-quart casserole dish coated with cooking spray.
3. Spread sour cream mixture over spaghetti noodles. Spoon the meat mixture over sour cream mixture, using slotted spoon. Sprinkle with remaining cheese. Cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.
4. Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake for 30 minutes or until hot and bubbly.

*Note: If Cabot Tomato Basil Cheddar is unavailable, substitute equal amount of Sharp Cheddar tossed with 1/4 teaspoon dried Italian herbs.

For more creative Cabot recipes, visit cabotcheese.coop/recipes.

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE
Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and makes a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Widely known as makers of "The World's Best Cheddar," Cabot is owned by the 1200 dairy farm families of Agri-Mark, the Northeast's premier dairy cooperative, with farms located throughout New England and upstate New York. For more information on Cabot, visit: http://www.cabotcheese.coop.

Cabot Creamery Cooperative is the world's first cheese maker and dairy cooperative to achieve B Corporation Certification, a validation of its attention to environmental and social impacts on stakeholders.

Contact: Bob Schiers
1.888.214.9444 or [email protected]

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SOURCE Cabot Creamery Cooperative