Be Active North Carolina wants people to 'Get Caught Red Banded'

EMBARGOED FOR RELEASE: Jan 20, 2005

CONTACT: Shellie Pfohl, (919) 765.7172

CHAPEL HILL — Be Active North Carolina has a great new way for people to show off their commitment to a healthy lifestyle — red wristbands to let everyone know you’re pledging to be physically active every day.

The elastic bands are sleek, colorful and embossed with the words “be active.” Best of all, they announce that you have joined the movement to promote physical activity across North Carolina.

The bands are ideal for individuals, families, sports teams, adult walking clubs, students, teachers and any others who strive to be physically active. Be Active hopes the bands will catch on with serious athletes — as well as those who simply want to get off the couch and burn some calories.

“Wearing these red bands will show your commitment to being active every day, but you don’t have to be a big-time athlete to do that,” said Shellie Pfohl, Be Active North Carolina’s director. “For some of us, little things like walking the dog or choosing the stairs instead of the elevator can be just as important. In the end, our goal is simply to encourage folks to be more active. There are countless ways to achieve that.”

Pfohl said the ‘Get Caught Red Banded’ campaign is intended to be fun. But she added that the need for more physical activity is also serious business:

“We hope people will get a kick out of the bands and will enjoy showing them off. But we also hope this movement will remind people that our society is not as healthy as it could be. By staying active, we can all do our part to fight obesity and other health risks. There’s no reason we can’t reverse this dangerous trend and have some fun at the same time.”

Olympic gold medal figure skater Kristi Yamaguchi agreed. She said she and her family are eager to sport their own Be Active bands.

“They’re a fantastic way to show your commitment to fitness,” said Yamaguchi, who along with husband Bret Hedican, of the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, is a Be Active ambassador. “Bret and I know that physical activity is important for all of us who want to live healthy lives. These bands will help send that message. They’re pretty cool-looking, too.”

The bands are $1 apiece and are available in junior and adult sizes. Available in increments of five, they can be purchased on Be Active’s website at www.beactivenc.org or by calling (919) 765-7171.

Be Active North Carolina Inc. is a nonprofit organization that works statewide to promote physical activity and healthy lifestyles for all ages. Among its many successful programs is Active Steps, which integrates technology with physical activity to motivate people to become more active. Active Steps encourages North Carolinians to use electronic pedometers to measure their steps, then to log those steps online. Since Active Steps began in 2001, nearly 200 million steps have been logged.

Be Active also has programs designed for children in place in all of North Carolina’s 100 counties. For more information about Be Active North Carolina’s programs, people and the policies it supports, visit the BANC website at www.beactivenc.org.