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Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Detroit Lions Team Up to Make 75th Thanksgiving Day Football Game a Celebration of Children’s Health
Carly Getz
| 2 min read
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Detroit Lions are teaming up on Thanksgiving Day to jointly celebrate strong traditions and a shared commitment to the health of Michigan’s kids. This year marks Blue Cross’ 75thanniversary, as well as the 75thanniversary of Thanksgiving Day football in Detroit. Blue Cross and the Lions will give the first 50,000 fans attending the game at Ford Field a commemorative “rally towel” to mark the anniversary. The halftime show, sponsored by Blue Cross, will demonstrate the two organizations’ shared commitment to educate kids about the importance of daily exercise by encouraging kids to “come out and play.” The halftime show theme is part of Blue Cross’ ongoing #MIKidsCan campaign, an initiative focused on encouraging kids to adopt healthy habits early in life that are more likely to be carried into adulthood. Currently, one-third of Michigan children are statistically overweight or obese. According to the Michigan Department of Community Health, less than 47 percent of youth in the state get the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity each day, putting them at higher risk of obesity and several health conditions, including diabetes and heart disease. “Our #MIKidsCan initiative is all about encouraging kids to get healthier by getting moving and making healthier choices. We’re fortunate to have great partners, like the Detroit Lions, helping to get kids excited about being active,” said Andrew Hetzel, vice president of Corporate Communications for Blue Cross. Throughout game day, Lions fans can join the conversation on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter by using #MIKidsCan to share stories and photos about how kids in their life are including healthy habits in their daily lives. Also during the halftime show and in honor of its 75th anniversary, Blue Cross will present a $7,500 donation to Hype Athletics, a Dearborn Heights-based organization that helps young kids develop both their educational and athletic skills. The funding will help support Hype’s youth fitness and education programs. Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, a nonprofit mutual insurance company, is an independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. BCBSM provides and administers health benefits to more than 4.4 million members residing in Michigan in addition to employees of Michigan-headquartered companies who reside outside the state. For more company information, visit bcbsm.com and MiBluesPerspectives.com.
