Team Announces Partnership with Walk Cabarrus Campaign

(KANNAPOLIS, NC) – Supporting the community is the top focus for the Kannapolis Cannon Ballers. The team strengthened that commitment today by announcing they have become the Presenting Sponsor of Walk Cabarrus, a community-wide walking campaign focused on creating a healthier community.

An initiative born through Children WIN, a partnership between Healthy Cabarrus and Atrium Health Cabarrus, Walk Cabarrus encourages people to get out and walk throughout our communities. The campaign aims to get the community up, out and walking with the goal of one billion recorded steps. Every step counts, and every family that walks together is one family fighting childhood obesity.

“We are absolutely thrilled to be part of Walk Cabarrus,” exclaimed Cannon Ballers General Manager Matt Millward. “With the tough times we are all facing, the campaign is a perfect initiative to bring our community together and help ease the mind with exercise and safe outdoor activity.”

As part of Atrium Health, the City of Kannapolis, and the Cannon Ballers’ joint commitment to encourage healthy living, the gates to Atrium Health Ballpark are now open for public enjoyment. The team emphasized that a few laps around the concourse on the Atrium Health Walking Track is great place to enjoy a walk and add to the total step count for Walk Cabarrus. During the summer months, the ballpark will be open daily from 7:30 a.m. until 8:00 p.m. One lap around the concourse is just about one third of a mile, and walkers can clock themselves using the mile markers on the ground. For a change of scenery, people can head to the City of Kannapolis’s nearby walking loop for even more steps.

“The Kannapolis Cannon Ballers are an amazing community partner,” said Charlie Sastoque, Cabarrus Healthcare Foundation President. “The new ownership and management have really embraced this community and its initiatives. To have the foresight to put a walking track around their ballfield really showcases how committed they are to the health and well-being of our county. Their presenting sponsorship of Walk Cabarrus will be significant in the combat against childhood obesity and fund essential programs for Children WIN.”

Becoming a Walk Cabarrus participant is easy. Community residents are encouraged to visit www.walkcabarrus.com to create their profile and begin logging their steps. Participants can register as individuals as well as join groups and track their steps collectively.

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About Children WIN

Children WIN has many initiatives and programs. The partnership between Healthy Cabarrus and Atrium Health Cabarrus has already:

· Opened a childhood obesity clinic for our county

· Funded a research project in a low-income community to see how socio-economic status affects healthy living

· Launched the 5210 programs (5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day, 2 hours or less of screen time, 1 hour of daily physical activity and 0 sugary beverages) in all Cabarrus County Schools