The Hershey Company Showcases Commitment to Youth Fitness at 30th Annual Hershey’s Track & Field Games North American Final Meet
Olympic Legends Carl Lewis, Bruce Jenner, Michael Johnson and Rafer Johnson Join 560 Youth Athletes at Hershey’s Track & Field Games Final Meet.
8/4/2007
HERSHEY, Pa., August 4, 2007 – The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) today celebrated the 30th anniversary of the Hershey’s Track & Field Games North American Final Meet at Henry Hershey Field on the campus of the Milton Hershey School in Hershey, Pa. The Games is the longest-running youth sports program of its kind in North America and is designed to encourage physical fitness among youth and emphasize sportsmanship. This year, the Hershey’s Track & Field Games brought 560 youth athletes to the North American Final Meet to compete in a variety of track and field events, including running, jumping and throwing competitions. In celebration of the 30th anniversary, youth athletes had the chance to meet and watch exhibition races by Olympic legends Carl Lewis, Bruce Jenner, Michael Johnson and Rafer Johnson, as well as Team USA stars Monique Henderson, Bershawn Jackson and Hazel Clark. “The goal of the Hershey’s Track & Field Games is to encourage physical fitness, foster teamwork and improve self-esteem among our youth,” said Tom Hernquist, Senior Vice President, Global Chief Growth Officer, The Hershey Company. “The Hershey Company has been committed to supporting youth fitness for 30 years, and we are proud to partner with USA Track and Field and these Olympic champions to demonstrate the importance of physical fitness and sportsmanship.” The 30th anniversary of Hershey’s Track & Field Games represents a global expansion of the games. For the first time, the Games showcased 16 youth athletes from China and 18 USA Track & Field Junior winners competing in the North American Final Meet. “The North American Final Meet showcases top-level competition among youth athletes,” said Hernquist. “It also offers a one-of-a-kind experience for the athletes, who get the opportunity to visit HERSHEYPARK™ amusement park, our factory and Hershey’s Chocolate World® Attraction.” The Hershey Company, in conjunction with Athletics Canada, also announced the introduction of a new track and field instructional program – “Hershey’s FastTrack to Sports,” featuring Carl Lewis. The program demonstrates the basics of track and field, which serve as the fundamentals for all sports and many everyday activities. The video describing the program will be available this fall on www.hersheystrackandfield.com. “I’m proud to be associated with such a worthwhile program during its milestone year,” said Carl Lewis, nine-time Olympic gold medalist and member of the National Track & Field Hall of Fame. “The Hershey’s Track & Field Games introduces children to physical fitness and encourages children to reach their potential and develop a sense of accomplishment.” About Hershey Track & Field Games
Founded in 1975 by Dr. Donald P. Cohen in Charleston, W.V., Hershey’s Track & Field Games has grown from a local playground event in a single community to an international program encouraging physical fitness among youths and sportsmanship between peers. More than 10 million children from the United States and Canada have participated in the Hershey’s Track & Field Games to date. Children interested in participating in the 2008 Hershey’s Track & Field Games or adults interested in hosting a qualifying meet in their town can visit www.hersheystrackandfield.com. The Hershey Company provides national funding for Hershey Track & Field Games. Additional partners are the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA), USA Track & Field and Athletics Canada. Hershey’s Track & Field Games is the largest youth sports program of its kind with over 400,000 children participating in the program yearly, representing over 3,000 communities. About The Hershey Company
The Hershey Company (NYSE: HSY) is the largest North American manufacturer of quality chocolate and sugar confectionery products. With revenues of nearly $5 billion and more than 13,000 employees worldwide, The Hershey Company markets such iconic brands as Hershey’s, Reese’s, Hershey’s Kisses, and Ice Breakers. Hershey is the leader in the fast-growing dark and premium chocolate segment, with such brands as Hershey’s Special Dark, Hershey’s Extra Dark and Cacao Reserve by Hershey’s. Hershey’s Ice Breakers franchise delivers refreshment across a variety of mint and gum flavors and formats. In addition, Hershey leverages its iconic brands, marketplace scale and confectionery and nut expertise to develop and deliver substantial snacks, including Hershey’s and Reese’s single-serve cookies and brownies, and value-added snack nuts, including Hershey’s Milk Chocolate Covered Almonds and Hershey’s Special Dark Chocolate Covered Almonds. Hershey also offers a range of products to address the health and well-being needs of today’s consumer. Hershey’s and Reese’s Snacksters offer consumers great-tasting snacks in portion-controlled servings, while Hershey’s dark chocolate offerings provide the benefits of flavanol antioxidants. In addition, Artisan Confections Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of The Hershey Company, markets such premium chocolate offerings as Scharffen Berger, known for its high-cacao dark chocolate products, Joseph Schmidt, recognized for its fine, handcrafted chocolate gifts, and Dagoba, known for its high-quality natural and organic chocolate bars. Visit us at www.hersheynewsroom.com.
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