At the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond, the theme of this year’s programming revolves around one simple motto, “If it is to be, it starts with me.”
“Each day we serve more than 100 children through our programs, and this location is special to us because we have the freedom to make it our own,” said Brandie Pitt, senior program director at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Metro Richmond’s location in Petersburg, Virginia.
Employees with UnitedHealthcare recently volunteered with the club in Petersburg as a part of the fourth annual Team8 Tour, a collaboration between The Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and UnitedHealthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well.” employee volunteer initiative.
The Team8 Tour is aimed at encouraging young people across the country to make healthy choices, build character and learn critical life lessons that will inspire them to be catalysts for positive change.
UnitedHealthcare volunteers spent the afternoon painting new lines on the newly resealed basketball court. Volunteers also landscaped around the club’s campus and worked alongside club youth to create a new outdoor art space with the help of a local artist.
“The young people we serve, it starts with them, but beyond that it starts with me, my team and volunteers like you. Having the volunteers here from UnitedHealthcare for the Team8 tour will allow us to transform the space,” Brandie said.
Only 24 percent of children between the ages of 6 to 17 participate in the recommended amount of physical activity every day, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Over the past four years, the Team8 Tour has impacted nearly 50,000 young people and donated more than $1.5 million to projects to promote healthy and active lifestyles.
“Our volunteers and partners played an important role in helping make a positive impact for the Petersburg community,” said Charles Wayland, CEO, UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Virginia. “This is a great opportunity to impact the lives of children. We know that impacting their lives now will help them to live healthier lives in the future.”
Last year, UnitedHealthcare employees in Virginia gave more than $350,000 to nonprofits and volunteered nearly 30,000 hours to build healthier communities around the Commonwealth.
Now in its fourth year, the Team8 Tour is made possible by a $500,000 grant from UnitedHealthcare. For more information on the Team8 Tour, visit www.dogoodlivewell.org/team8tour.