Expresso Fitness(R) Joins Forces With the American Diabetes Association to
'Pedal for Prevention'
First-Ever Virtual Ride-a-thon Will Raise Money for Diabetes Awareness
SUNNYVALE, Calif., Sept. 30 /PRNewswire/ -- Expresso Fitness(R), the
leading developer and supplier of interactive, Web-enabled cardio fitness
systems, today announced their plans to host a two-week fundraising campaign
to support the mission of the American Diabetes Association (ADA), the
nation's premier voluntary health organization supporting diabetes research,
information and advocacy. The fundraising campaign, Pedal for Prevention:
Expresso's 2008 Virtual Ride-a-thon, will take place at select fitness
facilities across the country, November 2 - 16, in conjunction with American
Diabetes Month. Contestants are invited to participate in this vast
network-connected event at any one of thousands of locations around the U.S.
"We are excited to put Expresso's interactive and technological
capabilities to use in a way that will influence and ultimately help so many
Americans," said Brian Button, CEO of Expresso Fitness. "Our goal in
designating the American Diabetes Association as a beneficiary of this effort
is to increase awareness of diabetes and educate people on the health benefits
of regular exercise, while raising money in a fun and motivating way for their
cause."
Individuals interested in participating in Pedal for Prevention can now
sign up by creating their own personal pledge page at http://www.expresso.net.
Via their pledge page, participants will be able to ask friends and family for
donations based on mileage. Participants can maximize those pledges between
November 2 and November 16 by riding any internet-connected Expresso Bike at
fitness facilities located across the country, including Anytime Fitness,
Gold's Gym, Crunch and others. A list of Expresso Bike locations will also be
available at http://www.expresso.net. Throughout the Pedal for Prevention
virtual ride-a-thon, participants can track their miles and donation totals by
logging into their personal pledge page. Expresso will also post daily event
totals on the event site.
"We are extremely grateful that Expresso Fitness chose the American
Diabetes Association to be the beneficiary of this event. The efforts of
Expresso Fitness to create a fundraising campaign that incorporates bicycling
as an activity fits nicely with the American Diabetes Association's mission
and it's signature fundraising bicycling event, Tour de Cure," said Kate
Giblin, Vice President Campaign Development. "The diabetes community will
greatly benefit from the monies raised by this event and we hope it will raise
the level of awareness about the benefits of exercise in improving the lives
of those affected by diabetes and the prevention of type 2 diabetes."
According to the latest diabetes statistics from the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDC), there are 23.6 million Americans with diabetes
and 57 million Americans with pre-diabetes. Studies have shown that people
with pre-diabetes can prevent or delay the development of type 2 diabetes by
up to 58 percent through changes to their lifestyle that include modest weight
loss and regular exercise. Research also indicates that regular physical
activity helps insulin work better, improves blood circulation and keeps
joints flexible -- all necessary to preventing diabetes. Additionally, it is
crucial for those diagnosed with diabetes to include some form of physical
activity in a diabetes self-management routine.
Expresso Fitness will donate 100 percent of the proceeds raised over the
course of the virtual ride-a-thon to the American Diabetes Association in
order to help promote advocacy, research and education of diabetes,
contributing to the Association's mission to prevent and cure this disease and
to improve the lives of all people affected by it.
About Expresso Fitness(R)
Expresso Fitness was founded in 2003 with the mission of satisfying an
exerciser's need for an engaging and effective cardiovascular fitness
experience. The company leverages the benefits of superior interactive
technology at an affordable cost to provide the health, sports and fitness
industry with fully integrated, commercial-grade, virtual reality-enhanced
cardio fitness systems that are revolutionizing indoor exercise. Expresso
systems are sold to fitness facilities and consumers in North America, Europe
and select international locations. For more information please visit
http://www.expresso.com.
About the American Diabetes Association
The American Diabetes Association is leading the fight against the deadly
consequences of diabetes and fighting for those affected by diabetes. The
Association funds research to prevent, cure and manage diabetes; delivers
services to hundreds of communities; provides objective and credible
information; and gives voice to those denied their rights because of diabetes.
Founded in 1940, the Association's mission is to prevent and cure diabetes and
to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes. For more information
please call the American Diabetes Association at 1-800-DIABETES
(1-800-342-2383) or visit http://www.diabetes.org. Information from both these
sources is available in English and Spanish.
The American Diabetes Association's Tour de Cure event is a series of
fund-raising cycling events held in 40 states nationwide to benefit the
American Diabetes Association. To find out about an event near you, visit
http://www.diabetes.org/tour.
SOURCE Expresso Fitness
Katie Williams of Formula, +1-619-234-0345, williams@formulapr.com, for
Expresso Fitness
