Blue Goji is proud to be partners with the incredible organization Partnership for a Healthier America, simply known as PHA. The nonprofit was created to complement First Lady Michelle Obama's Let's Move! Initiative by: “bringing together public, private and nonprofit leaders to broker meaningful commitments and develop strategies that help ensure every child has the opportunity to grow up at a healthy weight.” This past week, on November 1st, a team of ours traveled to Washington, D.C for their annual Fit to Celebrate Gala. This event serves as a fundraiser for PHA, allowing them to continue combating childhood obesity on an everyday basis. We were particularly excited to attend this year’s event because our Co-Founder and CEO Coleman Fung was being honored with PHA’s Visionary CEO Award.
Each year, PHA presents a few groups and individuals with their Catalyst for Change Awards. These awards include Partner of the Year, Impact Award, and Visionary CEO. Being amongst groups who are actively paving the way for a healthier future, it was a huge honor for Coleman to be chosen for an award. This particular award is described by PHA as such:
The PHA Visionary CEO Award will be presented to a CEO who is dedicated to making the healthy the easy choice for busy parents and families around the country. The nominee will have demonstrated leadership and vision in the health and wellness space with their work and made strides towards making sure all children are at a healthy weight. This award is for courage, perseverance, dedication, ethics, and the ability to bring about real change for the better of the company, the industry as a whole, and for the lives of the people the CEO touches. This award does not celebrate a company’s success, but rather the exceptional contribution made by the CEO and their leadership.
Coleman was chosen based on the leadership he’s presented this year through Blue Goji's commitment with PHA, in addition to that at UC Berkeley School of Public Health, the Fung Institute for Engineering Leadership and the Coleman Fung Foundation. As a long-time champion of improving health and wellness by making exercise fun, Blue Goji was proud to see our CEO recognized. Watch below to see some of his acceptance remarks:
While Coleman and his guests were thrilled to see him honored, we were also as excited as he was for a special gift from PHA. Because of his answers in the 11 Questions series, the PHA team knows he is a Serena Williams fan. To Coleman’s surprise, he was also gifted a signed racquet and ball from the tennis star!
The evening continued after the awards with a series of auctions that was then followed by a round of donating. People from practically every table proudly donated throughout this portion of the night. Coleman won the auction for a Cubs hat signed by Michelle Obama. By the end of the event, PHA had raised $400,000! This money will change the lives of kids across America.
Blue Goji loves being a PHA Partner. With similar missions, we get to combine our spheres of influence to benefit as many kids, teens, and adults as possible. Our partnership will continue into 2018. To learn more about, and even contribute to, the initiative yourself, visit: https://pha.networkforgood.com/
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