'Got Chocolate Milk?' Campaign Aids Injured Athletes
Through its REFUEL “got chocolate milk?” campaign, The Milk Processor Education Program (MilkPEP) made a donation on July 17 to The Challenged Athletes Foundation (CAF), a San Diego-based institution that provides grant money and equipment to athletes with physical disabilities.
Through its partnership with CAF, MilkPEP’s campaign provided injured U.S. Army Sergeant Robert Laux with an adaptive bike in support of CAF’s "Operation Rebound" initiative designed to help injured troops and first responders harness the healing power of sport. Sgt. Laux’s arm was severely injured during a recovery mission in Baghdad in 2007, and the adaptive bike allows him to put minimal stress on his arm while cycling. The campaign will also provide Sgt. Laux with a year’s supply of low-fat chocolate milk to support his recovery.
| From left to right: Vivien Godfrey, CEO of MilkPep; Jay Bryant, MD & VA Milk Producers; Army Sgt. Andy Hatcher, "Operation Rebound"; Army Sgt. Robert Laux and Jose Ramos, "Operation Rebound" |
"The got chocolate milk? campaign is committed to helping athletes from all sports – both able-bodied and those with physical disabilities – get the most out of exercise by spotlighting the recovery benefits of low-fat chocolate milk,” said Vivien Godfrey, CEO of Washington, D.C.-based MilkPEP. “We’re proud to partner with CAF to recognize challenged athletes like Sgt. Laux and help them rebound through fundraising efforts as well as refueling them at races around the country.”
As the Official Refuel Beverage of CAF, got chocolate milk? supports challenged athletes through fundraising efforts tied to its "Team REFUEL" program. The program promotes the consumption of fluid milk throughout the nation while educating the community about chocolate milk’s recovery benefits after strenuous exercise.
“Low-fat chocolate milk delivers the right mix of nutrients athletes need to recover after strenuous exercise so they can get the most out of their next workout,” said sports dietitian Nancy Clark. “Its effectiveness lies in its high-quality protein and carbohydrates to help repair and refuel muscles, and fluids and electrolytes to replenish what’s lost in sweat.”
The got chocolate milk? campaign's website offers additional information on the science behind low-fat chocolate milk’s recovery benefits.