Cabot Creamery Cooperative's 'Vermont to Vegas' Online Health and Fitness Challenge is a Virtual Blast

CABOT, Vt., May 18, 2009 /PRNewswire via COMTEX/ --
RHAT | Quote | Chart | News | PowerRating -- If you are age 50+, you are eligible to take an amazing virtual journey of health and fitness that begins in the great state of Vermont and ends in fabulous Las Vegas - all without leaving the comfort of your home. That's right, if you are a Boomer, Zoomer, Red Hat or Silver Fox, log on to Cabot's Vermont To Fabulous Las Vegas Virtual Challenge at: www.cabotcheese.com/virtualchallenge to join thousands of like-minded friends as you walk, run, bike or row your way online.

(Logo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20080129/NETU108LOGO )

Participants compete online - via the honor system - to log their exercise routines for a given day. As a player's exercise time accumulates, they move along a map towards their final destination, Las Vegas. Players earn poker chips each step of the way, which increases their chances of winning prizes via random drawings throughout the duration of the game that begins May 18 and ends September 1, 2009.

"As a cooperative that can boast 'we make the world's best cheddar and the world's best reduced fat cheddar,' we've partnered with the best of Vermont - our state Department of Tourism and Marketing, and Concept2, makers of the world's best rowing equipment, to add an extra zip to our appearance together at the AARP Vegas@50+ Expo held in Las Vegas this year. We designed this online experience because Vermont is all about healthy lifestyles and the pursuit of good eating and exercise," says Roberta MacDonald, Senior Vice President of Marketing for Cabot. "We thought it would be fun and beneficial to develop an online challenge and make the destination Las Vegas - just in time for our appearance at the AARP Vegas@50+ Expo. The challenge is 'virtual' in that players participate online. Participants actually exercise around their homes or gyms and log how long they walk, run, row or bike. Our website calculates the distance covered. And yes, any form of exercise counts - just track your time!" MacDonald said.

Why Vermont to Las Vegas? "Simple," MacDonald said. "Vermont's lush green mountains provide one of the nation's greatest backgrounds for year-round physical activity - one of the key reasons more than 10 times the state's population visits Vermont every year. And Vermont's largest city, Burlington, was named the healthiest city in the nation. As the site of AARP's Vegas@50+ Expo from October 22-24, Las Vegas is the ideal end point for Cabot's virtual challenge. And this year, at the AARP Vegas@50+ Expo, these Vermont companies are showcasing their wares together for the first time."

The Vermont To Fabulous Las Vegas Virtual Challenge website (V2V) is colorful, easy to use, and fun. Most important though are the positive health benefits one can gain by logging on every day.

"The website and game are designed to be engaging and fun," said Cabot Health and Education Programs Manager, Sara Wing, RD. "But the biggest benefit for players is improved health. The V2V website is a great way for our age 50+ friends to have fun while they engage in healthy activities like walking, running, rowing and biking. The website helps keep players focused and motivated, and as an added bonus, players can win random prizes including healthy Cabot products; fitness gear from Concept2; trips to Smuggler's Notch Resort; Stoweflake Mountain Resort and Spa; and a grand prize trip for two to fabulous Las Vegas with tickets to the AARP Vegas@50+ Expo," Wing said. "The V2V Challenge is a great way to enhance your commitment to healthier eating and exercise."

ABOUT CABOT CREAMERY COOPERATIVE

Cabot Creamery Cooperative has been in continuous operation in Vermont since 1919, and makes a full line of cheeses, yogurt, sour cream, cottage cheese and butter. Best known as makers of "The World's Best Cheddar," Cabot is owned by 1200 dairy farm families located through New England and upstate New York. Cabot has partnered with the State of Vermont Department of Travel and Marketing for over two decades. For additional information on Cabot Creamery, visit http://www.cabotcheese.coop

Available Topic Expert(s): For information on the listed expert(s), click appropriate link.

Roberta MacDonald

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=81063

Sara Wing

https://profnet.prnewswire.com/Subscriber/ExpertProfile.aspx?ei=70981

    Contact: Bob Schiers
    1-888-214-9444 or bschiers@cabotcheese.coop

SOURCE Cabot Creamery Cooperative

http://www.cabotcheese.com

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