Norwood Elementary in West Jefferson Awarded $20,000 PLAYMAKERS Grant from UnitedHealthcare
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PLAYMAKERS encourages parents, school officials and the public
to promote physical activity and active play in elementary schools
throughout the Buckeye state
WEST JEFFERSON, Ohio–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Norwood Elementary today received a $20,000 grant to build a climbing
wall as part of PLAYMAKERS, a program from UnitedHealthcare – with
support from Ohio State IMG Sports Marketing and 97.1 The Fan – to
promote sports, physical activity and active play at the school.
PLAYMAKERS is designed to improve young Buckeyes’ health and happiness
by enhancing access and resources for physical activity at elementary
schools (grades K through 6) across Ohio. According to United
Health Foundation’s America’s Health Rankings®, more than 30 percent
of children in Ohio ages 10 to 17 are overweight or obese, placing the
state 28th nationally.
Each week during the 2016 Ohio State football season, people across the
state had the chance to enter and win an Ohio State prize package that
included autographed merchandise and the opportunity to designate an
Ohio elementary school to receive one of 13 weekly $1,000 PLAYMAKERS
grants from UnitedHealthcare.
Norwood Elementary won the $1,000 grant during week five of the 2016
season and is using that grant to support its morning fitness club
program. Upon conclusion of the football season, Norwood Elementary and
the other weekly finalist schools were entered for the chance to win the
$20,000 top-prize grant.
All schools receiving a PLAYMAKERS grant must commit to use the funds in
support of physical activity and active play at the school. Norwood
Elementary plans to use the $20,000 grant to build a climbing wall that
was announced during an assembly at the school featuring former Ohio
State and NFL players Bobby Carpenter and Anthony Schlegel, and Ohio
State mascot Brutus Buckeye.
“I applaud Ohio State and UnitedHealthcare for their PLAYMAKERS program
and encouraging physical activity at elementary schools across the
state,” said Susan Barte, principal at Norwood Elementary. “We’ve
already benefited from the first grant to our morning fitness program,
and we know this climbing wall will encourage our students to be active.”
“UnitedHealthcare shares Ohio State’s commitment to improve the health
and wellness of children throughout Ohio,” said Kurt Lewis, president
and CEO, UnitedHealthcare of Ohio. “PLAYMAKERS provides an opportunity
for friends, families and the public to nominate their favorite
elementary school for a valuable donation that will help enhance
children’s health and well-being. We look forward to another year of
PLAYMAKERS in 2017.”
People nominated elementary schools by visiting www.buckeyeplaymakers.com
and entering the sweepstakes. Two schools, Copopa Elementary in
Strongsville and Tinora Elementary in Defiance, each received the
second-place prize, a $5,000 grant.
UnitedHealthcare serves more than 2 million Ohioans with a network of
257 hospitals and more than 48,000 physicians and other care providers
statewide.
About UnitedHealthcare:
UnitedHealthcare
is dedicated to helping people nationwide live healthier lives by
simplifying the health care experience, meeting consumer health and
wellness needs, and sustaining trusted relationships with care
providers. The company offers the full spectrum of health benefit
programs for individuals, employers, military service members, retirees
and their families, and Medicare and Medicaid beneficiaries, and
contracts directly with 1 million physicians and care professionals, and
6,000 hospitals and other care facilities nationwide. UnitedHealthcare
is one of the businesses of UnitedHealth Group (NYSE: UNH), a
diversified Fortune 50 health and well-being company. For more
information, visit UnitedHealthcare at www.uhc.com
or follow @myUHC on Twitter.
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Contacts
UnitedHealthcare
Tony Marusic, 312-348-3825
tony_marusic@uhc.com
