Surprise! You Get a Bike! More than 300 Children from Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis Receive Bicycles Assembled by Fresenius Medical Care North America Employees
INDIANAPOLIS–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Yesterday approximately 3,000 employees from Fresenius Medical Care
North America, the nation’s leading network of dialysis
facilities, assembled bicycles as part of the “All Together Better:
Team Challenge” event during its 2016 Clinical Managers’ Conference at
Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. The bikes were donated to more than
300 children, ages 6-12, from four participating chapters of the Boys &
Girls Clubs of Indianapolis. The event was a double-blind surprise: The
children had no clue they would be receiving a bike that day until they
paraded into the stadium; and the Fresenius Medical Care employees had
no idea their team-building efforts would benefit local children until
they started building the bikes. The employees were cheered on by Peter
Luster, Director of Community Outreach & Neighborhoods for Indianapolis
Mayor Joe Hogsett, the Indianapolis Colts Cheerleaders and players Matt
Overton, Jack Mewhort, Henry Anderson and Hugh Thornton.
“Our mission extends beyond the doors of our dialysis centers and into
the communities where we treat people living with kidney disease,” said
Ron Kuerbitz, chief executive officer of Fresenius Medical Care North
America, based in Waltham, Mass. “We believe children in Indianapolis,
and in every community throughout the United States, can live better and
more fulfilling lives when they have access to resources that promote
fitness and healthy living. The sooner we can help kids get in the habit
of living healthier, which includes exercise such as bike riding, the
sooner we can steer them away from the path of potentially developing
kidney disease and other chronic illnesses. We’re proud to give back to
the city of Indianapolis through our team building challenge and
donating bikes to the city’s children.”
The annual Clinical Managers’ Conference brought together Fresenius
Medical Care North America employees from across the country. Conference
attendees were divided into approximately 300 teams of 10 and given 45
minutes to construct bikes.
At the end of the build, the children entered Lucas Oil Stadium to join
their designated teams and learned that they would each receive their
very own bike. After the surprise, the bikes were inspected for quality
control before they were labeled for the individual children and
delivered to the appropriate Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis, where
the children picked up their bikes along with a helmet and lock.
“We know it is important for children to establish good habits early in
order to live long, healthy lives,” said Rick Whitten, executive
director of Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis. “We’re
thankful Fresenius Medical Care North America chose to partner with us
for their team challenge, not only to bring a smile to our participants’
faces, but to help support our mission for healthy lifestyles.”
“We feel strongly that being effective company leaders who operate with
integrity involves serving others, including employees, patients,
partners and members of the community,” said Bill Valle, president,
Fresenius Medical Services. “This event is a product of our ongoing
commitment to being ‘serving leaders.’ We are grateful for the
opportunity to meaningfully help children in the community while at the
same time continuing to develop the great leaders within our
organization.”
To download high resolution photos, visit http://bit.ly/22RNZQ1
Credit: Courtesy of Fresenius Medical Care North America
About Kidney Disease and Dialysis
According to the National Kidney Foundation, one in three American
adults are at risk for developing kidney disease. The two leading causes
of kidney disease are high blood pressure and diabetes. Other risk
factors include family history of kidney failure, kidney stones,
smoking, obesity and cardiovascular disease. Dialysis is required for
those who develop end stage kidney failure, which typically represents
85 to 90 percent loss of kidney function. Dialysis is used to remove
waste, salt and extra water in the body, and keep safe levels of
potassium, sodium and bicarbonate in the blood and control blood
pressure.
About Fresenius Medical Care North America
Fresenius Medical Care North America is the premier health care company
focused on providing the highest quality care to people with renal and
other chronic conditions. Through its industry-leading network of
dialysis facilities, outpatient cardiac and vascular labs, and urgent
care centers, as well as the country’s largest practice of hospitalist
and post-acute providers, Fresenius Medical Care provides coordinated
health care services at pivotal care points for hundreds of thousands of
chronically ill customers throughout the continent. As the world’s
largest fully integrated renal company, it offers specialty pharmacy and
laboratory services, and manufactures and distributes the most
comprehensive line of dialysis equipment, disposable products, and renal
pharmaceuticals. For more information, visit the FMCNA website at www.freseniusmedicalcare.us.
For information about patient services, visit www.ultracare-dialysis.com.
About Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis
Since 1893, Boys & Girls Clubs of Indianapolis have served the
Indianapolis community. With 11 Club locations, the Clubs provide
programs for over 7,400 youth in the areas of career exploration and
educational enhancement, citizenship and leadership, the arts, and
health and fitness. For additional information, please call (317)
920-4700 or visit us online at www.BGCINDY.org
and on social media at www.facebook.com/BGCINDY
and www.twitter.com/BGCINDY.
Contacts
Fresenius Medical Care
Jon Stone
Jonathan.d.stone@fmc-na.com
Office:
781-699-9704
Cell: 781-392-4680
