The Emerald Cup 2012 Bodybuilding, Fitness, Figure, Bikini & Physique Championships and Expo is being held today Friday April 20 and tomorrow Saturday the 21st at Meydenbauer Center in Bellevue.

This event is the largest local event of the year and is always very well run – this year is their 30th Anniversary!

Here is the schedule of events:

Friday April 20th: Meydenbauer Center:
9:30 – 10:45am: Fitness and Figure competitors only registration. Measure
heights, check NPC registrations, numbering and goody bags.
11:00am: Doors open to public. Competitor Meeting for Fitness and Figure with
Head Judge NPC Vice President & IFBB Professional judge Jim Rockell. Pro
Powerlifting Event Promotion with Sean Zilla Katterle begins and Expo Booths open.
Please note that Expo booths and all events are together in the Expo Hall.
12:00 Noon: Fitness/Figure Judging.
3:00 – 3:30pm: Expo Hall closes.
4:00 – 5:45pm Meydenbauer Center Lobby. Bodybuilding and Women’s Physique
Competitor Check in. Early competitor check in for Women’s Bikini and Men’s
Physique. Measure heights, check NPC registrations, numbering and goody bags.
Bodybuilders will turn in their music at this time.
6:15pm: Doors open to Expo Halls.
6:20: Big Screen Video By Terry Photo of California.
7:00pm: National Anthem by Marissa Carew. Special Guest Emcee Alicia Marie.
Fitness/Figure Evening Finals featuring guest performers IFBB Fitness Pro Sheri Vucick,
Physique Artist Extraordinaire Russ Testo and cirque performer world champion Eric
Saintonge “The Wheel Cyr”.

Mariner’s ace pitcher Felix Hernandez got the start tonight, looking to improve on his 1-1 record after three starts in this young season.  To the delight of those sitting in King’s Court, King Felix struck out Cleveland lead offer batter Michael Brantley, got the 2nd batter, second baseman Jason Kipnis to fly to left and then Cleveland’s third batter Shin-Soo Choo, chopped weakly to Justin Smoak at first.

In the Mariner first, Chone Figgins struck out, Dustin Ackley worked a full count , but then took a called third strike and Ichiro hit a long fly ball out to center field on the first pitch from Cleveland hurler Josh Tomlin.

In the top half of the 2nd, Felix gets Tribe clean up hitter Carlos Santana to ground weakly to the right side.  Left handed hitting DH Travis Hafner steps up and works Felix for a one out walk.  Up comes another lefty, Casey Kotchman, who quickly gets two strikes, but hangs tough fouling off four more pitches before striking out swinging on an off speed breaking pitch.  Shelley Duncan, the Cleveland left fielder steps up and hits a one hopper to Smoak at first for the third out.

For the Mariners in the bottom half of the 2nd, first baseman Justin Smoak steps up and hits a one hopper to 2nd on the first pitch he sees.  Third baseman Kyle Seager rips the first pitch he sees for a hard hit double down the first baseline.  Next up is Michael Saunders, the Mariners’ center fielder.  Saunders smokes a liner out to right that drops in just before Choo could get it.  Now men on first and third with one out and Miguel Olivo at the plate.  Olivo hits a chopper to shortstop for a rally-killing double-play.

Leading off the Cleveland half of the third inning is Indian third baseman Jack Hannahan – batting left, which is a little unusual for a third baseman.  Hernandez got Hannahan swinging for the first out, bringing up the 9th Cleveland batter, shortstop Jason Donald.  Felix gets him swinging on the fourth pitch.  Leadoff hitter Brantley steps up to try his luck again, but again he is sent down swinging …

The Mariners send up tonight’s DH, John Jaso to start their half of the third inning.  Jaso chops out to second base.  Up steps the Mariners 9th hitter, Brandon Ryan, who is barely hitting his weight early this season.  Hopefully he can heat up tonight, but not in his first at bat, as he is caught looking at a called strike three.  Figgins steps up and fakes a bunt on the first pitch, bringing in the third baseman, but it doesn’t help as on the very next pitch he hits a lazy fly ball to left field to end the inning.

Felix strikes out Kipnis to start the fourth inning, the Choo grounds weekly to Smoak at first base – again.  That brings up Cleveland catcher and clean-up hitter who hits a 2-1 pitch to the wall in right center for a two out double.  Indian DH Hafner then grounds to first to end the inning.  Felix has six strikeouts through the first four frames.

Dustin Ackley starts off the fourth inning for the Mariners by stretching a hard hit single into right center into a double, sliding in hard to beat the throw into second.  Next up is Ichiro Suzuki who quickly falls into a 0-2 hole and eventually strikes out on a curve ball in the dirt, drawing a throw to first and enabling Ackley to reach third with only one out.  Smoak steps up and smokes the first pitch toward right field, but it is unfortunately right into the mitt of Triber first baseman Casey Kothchman.  Seager up with runner on third and two outs.  He’s hitting .295 coming into the game and nearly gets an rbi on a ground ball up the middle that turns into out number three.

Kotchman starts the fifth inning for the Indians by grounding out to second.  Hernandez then strikes out Duncan on a 2-2 pitch and get Hannahan to bounce to Ackley at second base.  Quick inning and Felix is looking good, but the Mariners need to get him some runs.

Justin Smoak leads off the Seattle fifth inning with a drive to the right center field wall on two hops and gets into second base with a double.  Olivo sacrifices him to third on his 2nd try.  John Jaso steps up with Saunders on third and just one out.  The Indians are playing with the infield in in an attempt to cut off the run at home.  Jaso quickly falls behind 0-2 and then hits a slow roller up the middle, causing Cleveland second bagger Kipnis to hesitate and then throw over the catcher’s head trying to get Saunders at home.  Saunders is safe at home and Jason move up to 2nd on the error.  Ryan then grounds out to the right side of the field, moving Jaso to third with two outs and Chone Figgins coming up.  Tomlin gets Figgins to an 0-2 , before Chone grounds out to second to end the inning.  Mariners up 1-0.

King Felix strikes out Jason Donald to start the 6th, Brantley lines to short for the 2nd out and then Kipnis hits a long warning track out to Figgins in left field.  Another quick inning.  If he keeps it up, Felix might just get to finish this one.

Ackley leads off again for the M’s, but this time is caught looking at strike three.  Ichiro steps up looking to redeem himself after a terrible last at bat.  Unfortunately this time around isn’t any better and Ichiro pops out to the third baseman in foul territory.  Smoak steps up with two outs and strikes out swinging on four pitches – and after a questionable strike call by the home plate umpire Dan Iassogna.  On to the seventh inning.

Choo steps up and hits a long fly ball out to Figgins on the first pitch he sees from Felix.  Indian clean-up batter Santana works Hernandez to a 3-1 count before hitting a one hopper back to the pitcher.  That brings up Travis Hafner with two outs.    Hafner drills a line drive to left center that gets past Figgins to the wall for a stand up double.  Kotchman comes up with a man at second and two outs, and King Felix sends him back to the Tribe bench after looking at strike three.

Kyle Seager leads off the seventh inning for the Mariners.  He hits the first pitch he sees to the warning track in right center, nearly 385 feet for an out.  Saunders steps up and hits his first pitch on the ground to Kotchman at first.    Olivo steps up and takes a couple of huge, hefty whiffs before dumping one into left center for a hard sliding double.  Jaso is up with two outs and man on second, but grounds weakly to second base on the first pitch.  Quick half for the M’s, but at this point that is a good thing.  Keep Felix warm and ready to finish it off.

Left fielder Duncan leads off the 8th for the Tribe with a .273 average.  Felix is working him hard low and outside and they get to a full count before Duncan fouls off another four pitches – and then Hernandez finally gets him swinging.  Hannahan steps up with one out and hits a soft liner over the head of M’s shortstop Ryan for a one out single.  Tribe shortstop Jason Donald steps up with one out and one on and grounds one back up the middle that Felix has trouble with and boots.  The official scorer gives Donald a base hit and Brantley comes up for the Tribe with one out and men on first and second.  He’s only hitting .190 on the season, but works the count to 3-2 before hitting a grounder just of the glove of diving second baseman Dustin Ackley.  Hernandez is left in the game with the bases loaded and only one out.  Cleveland second baseman Jason Kipnis steps up and strikes out swinging on four pitches and is Felix’s eleventh strikeout victim of the night.  Tribe right fielder Choo steps up with two outs and the bases still drunk.   Hernandez appears to turn it up a notch and strikes out Choo on a half swing to get out of a tough jam and preserve the 1-0 lead.  He is relieved after 8 strong innings – 5 hits, 1 walk, 12 strikeouts and no runs.

Brendan Ryan leads off the Mariner half of the 8th, with Cleveland started Tomlin still on the hill.  He pops out to the first baseman in foul territory for the first out, bringing up left fielder Chone Figgins, who lines the second pitch he sees to Duncan in left field.  Up comes Dustin Ackley with two outs and nobody on.  He strikes out quickly on three pitches – including the last one over his head.

Instead of letting the dominant King Felix stay on to finish up his gem, Mariners skipper Eric Wedge opts for the adventure that M’s closer Brandon League always brings with him.  Indians catcher Carlos Santana leads off the 9th for the Tribe against League and draws a lead off walk.  Hafner comes up and drives a hard hit ball that drops right in front of Ichiro in right field.  Now men on 2nd and 3rd with no outs and Kotchman  comes up with a crucial sacrifice bunt to move the runners up to 2nd and 3rd.  Two men in scoring position , with one out for left fielder Duncan who is hitting .265.  After a 1-1 count, Cunningham is brought in to pinch run for Hafner at second.  League then walks Duncan to load the bases for Triber third sacker, Jack Hannahan.  Wedge sends the pitching coach out to try to calm down League., who gives up a two run single through the left side to Hannahan for what may turn out to be the game winner.  Indian shortstop strikes out to League – and then, get this, Wedge brings in a left hander (Luetge) to relieve League …

Bringing in the closer fails again.  How many times is Manager Eric Wedge going to make this same mistake?  Does he really think his closer is better than Felix?  PLEEEEASE.   How can he expect his players to work for him with crappy decisions like this?  There is no way Felix will want to stay here when his contract is up if he’s continually treated like this.  Mr. Wedge – that was a MAJOR FAIL.

12,142 Paid Attendance at tonight’s game.

Reminder:  Tomorrow, Friday April 20th, the Mariners celebrate their first 35 years as a franchise and their first ever draft pick – Mr. Ruppert Jones.  It also happens to be Ichiro bobblehead night ….  Tickets are still available.

 On April 21 – Earth Day Weekend – one of the greenest clubs in major league baseball teams up with BASF, The Chemical Company, to inspire its fans to follow its lead and start striking out landfills at home. Well on their way to batting 1.000 in their zero-waste program, the Seattle Mariners currently divert more than 80 percent of their waste stream away from landfills into composting and recycling centers.

The Saturday, April 21 Mariners-Chicago White Sox matchup marks the launch of “Sustainable Saturdays, a season-long program at Safeco Field to promote the kind of environmentally-conscious practices that have earned the club the prized position of number one in energy efficiency and number two in recycling in Major League Baseball.

The first 10,000 fans to arrive at the ballpark on Earth Day Weekend will receive a free “Kitchen Catcher” compost kit compliments of BASF, Ecosafe, and Seattle Public Utilities (SPU).  Inside are five compostable bags produced with BASF’s Ecovio^® biodegradable polymers.

This weekend’s game also marks the launch of the BASF Kid Compost Trivia game where fans compete for a chance to win an Amazon Kindle Fire and appear live on the centerfield video board at the end of the seventh inning.

“When we realized that the bulk of what we were sending to the landfill was organic matter, the answer was obvious,” says Scott Jenkins, Vice President of Ballpark Operations for the Seattle Mariners. “Turn it back into topsoil. Our zero-waste program has gone from batting .120 just five years ago to .810 today. To help fans follow our lead this Earth Day Weekend, we’re giving away 10,000 kitchen compost kits including everything they need to get going.  With the help of our fans, we aim to make 2012 the most sustainable Mariners’ season ever.”

The Kitchen Catcher will include a countertop container, five Ecosafe compostable liners, SPU coupons for Cedar Grove compost and savings towards the purchase of Ecosafe bags — plus simple steps to help fans follow the team’s green lead.

At each of the 10 Sustainable Saturday games, at the end of the first inning, the public address announcer will invite fans to play the BASF Kid Compost Trivia Game and test their knowledge about sustainability at Safeco field and the Seattle area. Trivia questions will be broadcast on the centerfield video board. Fans do not have to be eco-experts to win because all of the answers are provided at 16 zero-waste stations throughout the concourse, where they will also find the short code to text their answer for their chance to win. The winner will be drawn at random from all the correct answers.

At each zero waste station, volunteers from Camp Fire USA’s Teen Leadership Program will be standing by to teach fans how to strike out the landfill on their visit to Safeco Field and encourage them to do the same at home.  Then, in the bottom of the seventh inning, Kid Compost, one of the Mariners’ eco-mascots, will present the winning fan with a Kindle Fire broadcast live on the centerfield screen.

“Sustainable Saturdays at Safeco are about showing Mariners’ fans how we can all live more sustainably,” said Chris Bradlee, Biodegradable Polymers – Market Development Manager, North America, BASF, who will be on hand to throw out the first pitch at this Saturday’s Earth Day Weekend game.  “The Mariners are already doing a great job conserving water, natural gas, and electricity, recycling waste, and using renewable energy at Safeco Field.  Now, we’re helping them engage their fans to do the same at home.”

Mariners – Safeco Field, a green ballpark

81 percent recycling rate

Since 2006:

• 45 percent reduction in natural gas usage
• 30 percent reduction in electricity usage over 5 years
• 25 percent reduction in water usage over 5 years

All office copy paper is 100 % post-consumer.

All restroom paper is 100% recycled and minimum of 65% post-consumer.

Utilize green cleaning practices including 98% of cleaning products purchased green certified.

168 solar panels generating 40,000 kW hours per year.

Cut electrical use in garage in half via a relighting project.

Installed 4 electric vehicle recharging stations.

BASF – The Chemical Company

BASF Corporation, headquartered in Florham Park, New Jersey, is the North American affiliate of BASF SE, Ludwigshafen, Germany. BASF has more than 16,000 employees in North America, and had sales of $19.9 billion in 2011. For more information about BASF’s North American operations, visit www.basf.us.

The Jim Mora Celebrity Golf Classic brings together friends from the sports and entertainment industries to “tee it up” for charity. The Golf Classic matches foursomes with a celebrity for a day of golf on the picturesque Golf Club at Newcastle. Golfers will compete for prizes from start to finish, enjoy great food and beverages on the course and be treated to the BackSwing Bash Happy Hour and Dinner Auction that evening. The BackSwing Bash will include a live auction featuring unique sports memorabilia; one-of-a-kind experiences, like golf for four at POTUS’ country club and amazing trips to Super Bowl XLVII and the 2013 Pro Bowl. A celebrity-studded VIP Appreciation Party will be held at Joey Restaurants in Bellevue the night before the tournament, on Sunday, June 24.

Celebrities that have participated in prior Golf Classics include:

Bill Russell, Marshall Faulk, Lenny Wilkens, Jay Buhner, Roy Jones, Jr., Jeff Foxworthy, Detlef Schrempf, Slick Watts, Rich Eisen, Lawyer Milloy, Matt Hasselbeck, Michael Irvin, Hugh Millen, Jordan Babineaux, John Carlson, Sonny Sixkiller, and Ray Pinney.

Sponsorships are still available at most levels for this exclusive event. Please contact Casey Kennedy at (206) 396-4441 for more information.

The Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation is a 501(c)3 organization created in 2005 to support children in need, primarily in three target areas: children from low socio-economic backgrounds, mentally and/or physically challenged children and children at risk. The Foundation affords young individuals the opportunity to realize their potential and achieve their dreams. The Jim Mora Count On Me Family Foundation strives to lend support to charities and children’s organizations through monetary grants and increased community awareness, empowering organizations to help children improve their lives by: building and instilling confidence; encouraging health, wellness and safety; fostering learning opportunities; and using the sport of football as a springboard to talk about life and life lessons.  Since 2005, the Foundation has raised over 1.3 million dollars for over 50 children’s organizations in need. For more information, please visit countonmefoundation.org.

Carroll earns the award in recognition of his creation of A Better Seattle, the organization he launched in 2011 to combat youth and gang violence in our community.

“We’re thrilled that Coach Carroll has transplanted such a successful program from Los Angeles to help create ‘A Better Seattle’ in his new home,” said Justice Bobbe J. Bridge (ret.), founding president and CEO of the Center for Children & Youth Justice. “Not only is it combating violence and improving the lives of our young people, it has galvanized several key organizations to work together to benefit our community long into the future.”

The Center’s own efforts on gang intervention include initiating the South King County Coordinating Council on Gangs, which is working toward a comprehensive and cooperative process to address gangs throughout communities in South King County and Bellevue.

Partnering with the YMCA and the Seattle Youth Violence Prevention Initiative, A Better Seattle – also supported by Microsoft’s Steve Ballmer – promotes and funds efforts to deploy former street youth as outreach workers to intervene directly with vulnerable young people. The goal is to help youth avoid gangs or get out safely if they are already involved. The local effort builds upon the success of A Better L.A. Foundation, which Coach Carroll founded when he was coaching at USC.

“We are honored to receive the Norm Maleng Advocate for Youth Award,” Coach Carroll said. “Our work with A Better Seattle and A Better L.A. is in the spirit of what Mr. Maleng believed. And that work is built on the notion that the greatest of things can happen for young people – especially for the most at-risk and oftentimes overlooked young people – if we provide them with a little coaching and direction. Our street outreach workers are transforming our community by reducing violence and connecting with young people in a way that creates hope and helps them understand what they can become.”

Named in honor of the late King County Prosecuting Attorney, the Norm Maleng Advocate for Youth Award recognizes those who show exemplary leadership, dedication and commitment to the youth and families of Washington state. Previous recipients include the Maleng family, the law firm Perkins Coie LLC, Anne Ramsay-Jenkins of the College Success Foundation and Jim Mallahan.

In addition to the award presentation, the breakfast will include a keynote address by Gerald Hankerson, who at 18 was convicted of being an accessory to murder and sentenced to life in prison without parole. Behind bars, he earned his high school diploma, started a program for at-risk youth, participated in a variety of causes aimed at bettering inmates’ lives, and became an advocate for justice system reforms. In 2009, after 22 years in prison, his bid for clemency was successful, and today he works to spread the message that “good things happen when you take personal responsibility for your actions and make good choices.”

Guests at the March 1 event are asked to make a tax-deductible contribution of $150 or more. To register or to learn more, visit the website at www.ccyj.org.

Founded in 2006, the Center for Children & Youth Justice is a nonprofit organization dedicated to shaping better lives for children and youth involved in Washington’s foster care and juvenile justice systems. In partnership with parents, advocates and policymakers, the Center develops and advances innovative approaches to systemic changes that will support kids, stabilize families and strengthen communities.

Former University of Washington Football Players Greg Lewis, Mario Bailey, Walter Bailey, Ron Holmes and local Huskies Football author, Derek Johnson will be at Seattle Team Shop in Bellevue Square October 8th for autographs and photos with fans of all ages from 1pm to 2pm (1pm-3pm for Derek Johnson).

Lewis was the star tailback at Washington from 1987 to 1990. During his senior season in 1990, he won the inaugural Doak Walker award (presented to the top junior or senior running back in the country), the first ever All America selection for a Husky tailback and was named Pac 10 Conference Offensive Player of the Year. He amassed 1,752 yards from scrimmage including 1,407 rushing yards, becoming the first Husky running back to eclipse 1,000 rushing yards in consecutive seasons. Lewis spent two years playing for the Denver Broncos and now he is serving his sixth year as executive director of the Big “W” Alumni Club. He was inducted into the Husky Hall of Fame in 2006.

Mario Bailey was the wide received from 1989 and is best known for his contribution to the Washington Huskies National Championship Team of 1991 in his senior year. He was a consensus All American pick and the Pac-10 Offensive Player of the Year in 1991. Since graduating, Bailey has shown his versatility by playing in the NFL, XFL, Arena Football and NFL Europe, where he is the all-time reception leader.

Walter Bailey was a cornerback on the 1991 National Championship team. Responsible for several pivotal plays during the title run, Bailey had 8 interceptions that year, which lead the team and is the 3rd highest season total in Husky history. He had 12 interceptions for his career, the 4th best total in Husky history.

Ron Holmes was a defensive tackle for the Huskies. During his time on the team, Holmes became a Morris Trophy winner and was named the MVP Lineman in the Orange Bowl. He was a first round NFL draft pick in 1985 and played 8 seasons between the Buccaneers and Broncos. He was elected to Husky Hall of Fame in 2001.

Derek Johnson is known for writing multiple books detailing important Huskies football eras, including his latest book, “Bow Down to Willingham: How White Guilt Enabled a Secretly Malicious Coach to Destroy the Once-Mighty Washington Huskies”. From 2001-2008, he was a columnist for Dawgman.com and Sports Washington magazine.
Seattle Team Shop, with 8 stores in the greater Puget Sound area, is proud to be part of the Bellevue Collection. Seattle Team Shop is located on the west side of the Bellevue Square across from the LEGO store. It is recommended to arrive early, as lines will begin to form prior to the official start time. This event and autographs are free to the public.

• Hole #6 – (for the Car) Bob Janzing (Guest of Inglewood Member John Martin) 185 Yards – six iron

• Hole #8 – Inglewood member Jim Ragsdale 195 Yards – five iron

• Hole #12 – Dane Ulmer (Guest of Inglewood Member Russ Entrop) 153 Yards – nine iron

The odds of an amateur golfer making a hole in one are 12,500 to one. Wonder what the odds of three golfers making hole in ones on the same course within 30 minutes of each other are?

About Inglewood Golf Club

Inglewood Golf Club, which features an A.V. Macan designed golfcourse. Inglewood is a private, member owned golf club established in 1919.  The Club offers year round golf and dining for members and guests, as well as a ballroom for weddings and events.

WHO:                         Olive Crest

WHAT:                      Olive Crest’s 10^th Annual Golf Tournament

Golf package

• Includes a continental breakfast, lunch, a round of golf, a special gift, and a cocktail and appetizer awards reception
• Cost is $250 per person
• Golf tournament winners receive a glass etched trophy

Golf Ball Drawing

• $20 per golf ball
• $2,500 prize for winner

Virtual Golfing

• Virtual golfing gives people who are unable to attend the event the opportunity to help raise funds for Olive Crest by creating a First Giving fundraising page

WHEN:                      Monday, September 26, 2011

Register by September 21, 2011

Golf tournament registration starts at 9:30 a.m.

Golf tournament starts at 11 a.m.

WHERE:                    Overlake Golf  and Country Club

8000 Northweast 16th Street Medina, WA

For those who cannot attend the event but wish to make a contribution, donations can be made online at any time, or mailed to Olive Crest, 515 116^th Ave NE, Bellevue, WA 98004

Since 1973, Olive Crest has transformed the lives of over 50,000 abused, neglected, and at-risk children and their families. We work tirelessly to meet the individual needs of kids in crisis by providing safe homes, counseling, and education for both youth and parents. Our many innovative programs reflect our conviction that strengthening the family is one of the most powerful ways to help heal children. With unwavering compassion, the Olive Crest family maintains a lifelong commitment to the youth and families we serve even after they have graduated from our programs. Olive Crest serves nearly 1,000 children and families each day throughout California, Nevada, and the Pacific Northwest. For more information call 1-800-550-CHILD (2445) or visit www.olivecrest.org. 

Coca-Cola will present a $10,000 recreation grant to the City of Bellevue for improvements to the challenge course at the park.  Additionally, as part of Coca-Cola’s partnership with the WNBA, the event will also feature a WNBA clinic for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Bellevue. Led by Tamika Raymond, the children will participate in fitness skills and drills that encourage them to get outside and play this summer.

Coca-Cola is calling all families to go out and play this summer as part of the second annual America Is Your Park campaign.  Families also can vote for their favorite park to win the title of “America’s Favorite Park” and a $100,000 recreation grant made possible by the Coca‑Cola Live Positively initiative. The campaign, which launched this summer, was developed in collaboration with the National Park Foundation, America’s State Parks and the National Recreation and Park Association.

“Last year, millions of Americans showed their passion for their favorite parks by voting, so this year we’ve raised the stakes – more parks can win and there are more ways to vote,” said L. Celeste Bottorff, Vice President, Living Well, Coca-Cola North America. “We’re asking people to be ‘digital’ by voting online for their favorite park and then get ‘physical’ by getting out and having fun with us this summer.”

This summer, people can go to LivePositvely.com to help their favorite national, state or local park win big with just a click of a button.  The three parks that receive the most votes by September 6, 2011, will be awarded recreation grants in the following amounts: First Place – $100,000; Second Place – $50,000; and, Third Place – $25,000.These grants will help restore, rebuild or enhance recreation areas in parks where people can play and be active.

The campaign also encourages people to attend active healthy living events at local parks in select cities this summer. Additionally, people can watch, download and share fitness-in-the-park videos from LivePositively.com featuring fitness icon Jake Steinfeld, founder of “Body By Jake.”

Last year, thanks to more than 1.6 million votes cast by its supporters, Bear Head Lake State Park in Ely, Minnesota was named “America’s Favorite Park.”  The park is using the recreation grant to build a new warming hut to ensure safety and comfort for winter sports enthusiasts all season long.

For more than 40 years, Coca-Cola has supported America’s parks through partnerships with individual parks and national park organizations.  The Company has donated more than $14 million for restoration and renovation of our country’s parks, including the restoration of more than 260 miles of “Active Trails” for families to hike and explore, and development of the first sustainable recycling program at The National Mall, a national park in the heart of Washington, D.C.  Most recently, Coca-Cola donated $1 million to The Statue of Liberty-Ellis Island Foundation’s Peopling of America^® Center, a new initiative that will tell the story of the immigration experience in America.

About America Is Your Park

Through September 6, 2011, people can go to LivePositively.com to cast a vote for their favorite park. Americans can vote in the following ways: Click on their favorite park and vote, upload photos of themselves in their favorite park or “check in” from the park using Facebook Places.  And, starting August 10, they can also upload video of themselves in their favorite park.  To learn more about Coca-Cola’s efforts in our nation’s parks, vote for your favorite park or to download helpful tools to motivate your community to vote, visit www.livepositively.com.

About The Coca-Cola Company

The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world’s largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca-Cola, the world’s most valuable brand, the Company’s portfolio features 15 billion dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply and Georgia. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink teas and coffees. Through the world’s largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company’s beverages at a rate of 1.7 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate.

About the WNBA
The WNBA – which features 12 teams and is the most successful women’s professional team sports league in the world – is a unique global sports property combining competition, sportsmanship, and entertainment value with its status as an icon for social change, achievement, and diversity.  Following a 2010 season that included a fourth consecutive year of attendance growth, surging WNBA Finals ratings, and strong increases in traffic to WNBA.com and WNBA Mobile sites, the league tipped off its historic 15^th season on June 3.Through WNBA Cares, the WNBA is deeply committed to creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on programs that promote a healthy lifestyle and positive body image, increase breast and women’s health awareness, support youth and family development, and focus on education. For more information on the WNBA, log on to www.wnba.com.