NFL Ambassador and Former Carolina Panther Chris Draft to host Let's Read, Let's Move Event

For Immediate Release: Aug. 31, 2011

WHAT:            Third-grade students at River Oaks Academy will kick off the "Let's Read. Let's Move" program. This initiative is supported by Arne Duncan, U.S. Education Secretary. The Department launched "Let's Read. Let's Move" to combat summer learning loss and physical inactivity that commonly occur during the school break. Through activities designed to promote reading and academic achievement, healthy lifestyles and physical fitness, as well as general enrichment, the program aims to increase awareness about the critical importance of summer learning and highlight the tenets of First Lady Michelle Obama's "Let's Move!" national campaign to combat childhood obesity. NFL Ambassador and former Carolina Panther Christ Draft will present to students.

                        The Let's Read. Let's Move. initiative seeks to combat childhood obesity and summer reading loss by engaging youth in summer reading and physical activity, as well as by providing access to healthy, affordable food. The initiative is an Administration-wide effort led by the Corporation for National and Community Service in collaboration with First Lady Michelle Obama and five federal agencies - U.S. Department of Education, Department of Interior, Department of Health and Human Services, Department of Agriculture, and Institute of Museums and Libraries.

WHERE:         River Oaks Academy (1015 Mt. Holly Huntersville Road) Please check in at the front office.

WHEN:             Friday, Sept. 2, 2011, 9:00 a.m.

For more information, please contact:
Lauren Bell                            Kasia Thompson
980-343-1081 Office              980-343-1140 Office
704-614-3635 Cell                 980-406-8727 Cell

About Chris Draft

Chris Draft is the Founder, President and CEO of the Chris Draft Family Foundation. The Foundation focuses on seven primary initiatives with overarching themes that stress the importance of education, healthy lifestyles, character development, personal responsibility, self-discipline and physical fitness.  As a Former NFL player, he continues to be active with the NFL and in the community, serving as a NFL Ambassador, and the chief spokesperson of the Let’s Read. Let’s Move. initiative.

While with the Carolina Panthers, he was named the Panthers’ Walter Payton Man of the Year in 2006 and also served as the Carolina Panthers’ Youth Football Ambassador and the spokesperson for the Challenger Flag Football League.   At the close of the 2006 season, Chris served as the inspiration for an asthma awareness campaign that spanned the Charlotte Mecklenburg School system and the city of Charlotte with posters in schools and health care facilities, as well as billboards throughout the city.  The posters, which listed Chris Draft’s “Ten Tips for Tackling Asthma™” were complimented by public service announcements on local radio and television stations.