FitSpirit is Getting Ready for the Ride for Heart

(PRWEB) June 12, 2007 -- FitSpirit will encourage more than 300 female students to take to their bikes for the Becel Heart&Stroke Ride for Heart in Toronto next year. In fact the six students who will lead the FitSpirit team at the event are already getting themselves prepared for the event. "I am so thrilled to have the opportunity to represent FitSpirit and act as a leader! I really want to encourage my friends to join us!" expressed Alex.


Riding with the Chief Executive Officer of the Heart and Stroke Foundation

What an experience! Mr. Rossi rode for such a long distance and barely seemed tired at the finish line. He is a great role model for all of us. Alex, Simone, Maurisa, Armaquan, Jenna and Amanda were also invited to join the Chief Executive Officer of Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario, Rocco Rossi, to ride the last 5 km of his 1900km odyssey. "What an experience! Mr. Rossi rode for such a long distance and barely seemed tired at the finish line. He is a great role model for all of us." said Simone. After his 480km kayaking trip last year, Rocco Rossi was ready for a new challenge and decided to ride his bike along Yonge Street, the longest street in the world. "The Ride down Yonge has raised $375,000 and counting, and, more importantly, has further raised awareness of Chase's dream to ensure that defibrillators become as common as fire extinguishers. When we finished the ride with FitSpirit and John Coyne, vice-president of Unilever Canada, several hundred people were greeting us. It was an incredibly emotional moment!"

About FitSpirit:
The FitSpirit program focuses on promoting fitness among young girls between 13 and 17 years old. FitSpirit presents seminars at schools in Quebec and Ontario. The inaugural season was a success with 5000 female students visited. For the 2007-2008 Season, FitSpirit will also introduce girls to various physical activities. Each session will be lead by an elite athlete. The following Canadian athletes are guest speakers at the seminars:

- Jennifer Botterill, hockey
- Anouk Leblanc-Boucher, speed skating
- Molly Killingbeck, track and field
- Sue Palmer, cycling
- Lyne Bessette, cycling
- Stéfanie Vallée, kayaking
- Manon Jutras, cycling
- Alison Korn, rowing

Thank you to the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario and Quebec (www.heartandstroke.ca), Roots (www.roots.ca) and MERGE Solutions (www.merge-solutions.com) for making this project possible.

For more information, you can reach:
Claudine Labelle,
Director of FitSpirit
416-219-8051