Hy-Vee and KC Chiefs team up to promote reading
Hy-Vee is proud to be the official grocery partner of the Kansas City Chiefs. Together, our organizations are doing great work in the community:
CHIEFS, HY-VEE AND PROCTER & GAMBLE PARTNER WITH KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOR READING PROGRAM
Fruits and veggies? Yes, please!
Kids in five central Iowa schools are enjoying a fresh addition to their school lunches this year, thanks to a program sponsored by Hy-Vee and Dole. The five schools — in Boone, Centerville, Denison, Fairfield and Shenandoah — received portable salad bars that allow them to offer students a selection of fresh fruits and vegetables at each meal. Judging from the full plates and happy smiles we saw today at United Community School in Boone, the salad bars are already a big hit.
Paul Rhoads at EYC: Go “all in”
Iowa State University head football coach Paul Rhoads kicked off the 2012 Exercising Your Character event by telling the 7,000+ fourth- and fifth-graders at Hy-Vee Hall what character means in the football program at ISU:
“We have three blocks that are the foundation of our football program. The first one is being smart. When I talk about being smart … I’m talking about decision-making. Making smart decisions, using good judgment … Every day, you’re faced with choices. It’s the decisions that we make that follow you through life.
“The second block of our foundation is accountability — being where you’re supposed to be, doing what you’re supposed to do …
“The third block of the foundation of our program is trust … You’ve gotta trust people as you go through life to steer you in the right direction. They haven’t failed you yet, and they won’t fail you in the future …
“What I want to leave you with is a two-word phrase that’s very powerful in our football program. It’s the two words: ALL IN. It’s about commitment. It’s about a complete investment in everything that you do in your life.”
[photo courtesy of Mark Millsap]
Exercising Your Character: Speakers provide motivation along with the fun
A college coach, a 13-year-old triathlete, a former NBA star and an NFL kicker shared inspirational messages with 7,000 students at the sixth annual Exercising Your Character event, held today at Hy-Vee Hall in Des Moines.
Exercising Your Character is a celebration of physical fitness, good character and sportsmanship. Fourth- and fifth-grade classes from schools throughout central Iowa are invited to take part in a fast-paced program that includes music, dancing and appearances by famous athletes and coaches. The event is sponsored by Character Counts of Iowa, the Iowa Sports Foundation and Hy-Vee.
Speakers at this year’s EYC were Paul Rhoads, head football coach at Iowa State University; Winter Vinecki, two-time national IronKids champion who started a foundation to raise money to fight prostate cancer; B.J. Armstrong, former University of Iowa basketball star who helped the Chicago Bulls to three consecutive NBA titles; and Billy Cundiff, an Iowa native and Drake University star who is the placekicker for the Baltimore Ravens. The students also enjoyed learning the famous UNI Interlude Dance, as taught by co-creators Ian Goldsmith and Scott Connerly.
If the noise level in Hy-Vee Hall is any indication of the quality of the program, I’d say this year’s Exercising Your Character deserves a grade of A+. Stay tuned for more on today’s speakers and their messages to the students.
President Randy Edeker, Assistant VP Erin Demichelis, retired NBA great B.J. Armstrong, Executive VP Jon Wendel
Website offers behind-the-scenes look at sustainability efforts
In ways large and small, visible and not-so-visible, Hy-Vee is making tremendous strides toward becoming a greener, more environmentally responsible company. Now you can track our progress for yourself on Hy-Vee 360, a new website devoted to sustainability and healthy living.
Hy-Vee 360 employs colorful graphics and pop-up windows to show visitors how environmental initiatives are implemented in a typical Hy-Vee store. Click on the checkstand and you’ll learn about Hy-Vee’s efforts to reduce product packaging and promote reusable shopping bags; place your cursor over the produce display and you’ll find information about our commitment to offering more local foods. The site also highlights the resources available at Hy-Vee to help customers improve their health, such as in-store dietitians, HealthMarket departments and the NuVal nutritional scoring system.
At Hy-Vee, we’re getting greener all the time. How about you? Hy-Vee 360 offers a wealth of ideas to help you practice sustainability at home, at work and on the go. Remember: when it comes to saving the planet, we’re all in this together.