For Immediate Release
Contact: Kathleen Carlson
February 14, 2005
212/547-6953
917/848-4235 (cell)

THE AFTER-SCHOOL CORPORATION, BALLY TOTAL FITNESS
AND MARLIN ENTERTAINMENT ANNOUNCE
INNOVATIVE “WORK IT OUT” AFTER-SCHOOL FITNESS PROGRAM
Bally Total Fitness Health Clubs Will Open Doors to NYC Students in the After-School Hours

Lucy Friedman, President of The After-School Corporation (TASC), Bally Total Fitness and Neal Frank, President and CEO of Marlin Entertainment today announced plans for an exciting new pilot fitness initiative for high school students enrolled in TASC-supported after-school programs in New York City.

The program, called “Work it Out,” is a partnership among TASC, Bally Total Fitness and Marlin Entertainment which will give kids unprecedented free access to fitness clubs during the after-school hours of 3:00 pm – 6:00 pm during the off-peak hours of the club. The initiative starts in March and lasts for 8 weeks. A special “Work it Out” curriculum has been developed so that health club employees and after-school staff can be properly trained about how to work with kids on fitness. The program will feature lessons about developing fitness goals, the importance of knowing family health history and healthy eating tips.

“Since 1998 TASC-supported after-school programs have offered kids a robust mix of academic, arts and sports activities in the after-school hours,” said TASC President Lucy Friedman. “Now more than ever, the increased emphasis on standardized testing during the regular school day has left little time for sports or fitness. That is why the availability of fitness-based after-school programs has become a critically important way to combat childhood obesity and sedentary habits in young people. After-school programs help to keep kids healthy by giving them the opportunity to participate in fun fitness activities and expend the energy they build up in school all day,” Friedman added.

The National Centers for Disease Control has reported that 15% of the country’s school-aged children are overweight, a rise of four percent from less than 10 years ago. In New York City rates are even higher, with the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene stating in June 2003 that 24% of elementary school children are obese and 19% are overweight.
“Marlin Entertainment is proud to be a part of the TASC fitness initiative,” said Marlin President Neal Frank. “When we started calling health clubs to get an idea about their level of interest, the response was overwhelming. We all share a responsibility in the wellness of children and keeping kids physically active and giving them the opportunity to learn about exercise, healthy eating and the overall importance of fitness. We are confident the pilot project will be a success and hope to work with TASC to increase the number of after-school programs and health clubs participating in the next school year.”

TASC programs report that fitness-related after-school programs, in addition to combating obesity and sedentary behavior, help children improve their attendance in the regular school day, address difficult behavioral issues such as anger and often make an impact with students who may be hard to reach. Sports and fitness-based after-school programs also encourage teamwork, respect and fair play and help students to build positive interpersonal relationships.
A list of the TASC-supported programs, community organizations and sports clubs participating in the pilot project is attached.

In addition to the “Work it Out” program, TASC offers several other special fitness-based programs in an effort to improve kids overall health.

Through a generous grant from the Picower Foundation and with support from the 100 Women in Hedge Funds, TASC has formed partnerships with the New York Road Runners Foundation, Harlem RBI, Girls for Gender Equity in Sports, Metro Soccer and the American Youth Table Tennis Organization. Under the initiative, 59 TASC-supported sites receive in-depth, on-site technical assistance, training, equipment, uniforms and curriculum information from these organizations to enrich their after-school programs. Each of the 59 sites offer either baseball, soccer, basketball, table tennis and and/or track and field for middle and upper-elementary students. Some of these sites also offer health and nutritional workshops. One initiative is the “Look Who’s Cooking” project which helps kids learn how to prepare simple, healthy meals at home with their parents.

Through a partnership with the STRANG Cancer Prevention Center and with support from the Picower Foundation, after-school staff at 14 sites receive training to deliver Healthy Children Healthy Futures (HCHF), a 10 week curricula on health and wellness. This nationwide program, developed for underserved youth ages nine to 12, provides children in after-school settings with the opportunity to learn about healthy eating habits and physical activity. With this knowledge, participating kids create compelling messages to encourage their peers to do the same. These health messages, by and for children, in the format of posters, billboards, radio, animated features, TV and/or Internet spots are reviewed by peers and then disseminated to other children through a variety of school-based and community organizations.

The Madison Square Garden Cheering for Children Foundation and TASC have been partners since 1999, working collaboratively to bring more than $6.3 million in resources to after-school programs in New York City. The Cheering for Children Foundation, a non-profit corporation established by Madison Square Garden (MSG) in 1998, works closely with MSG and its divisions: the New York Rangers, the New York Liberty, the New York Knicks, MSG Networks and Radio City Entertainment. As part of this partnership, 72 TASC-supported after-school programs run “MSG Sports Clubs” that offer clinics and hands-on opportunities through which 4,000 kids learn hockey or basketball skills and compete in tournaments.

Research shows that the general benefits of after-school programs reach far and wide. Participation in after-school enables students to earn better grades and test scores, develop higher self-esteem and show improved attendance in the regular school day. They reduce juvenile crime and offer children a safe and drug-free environment and the opportunity to engage in exciting, hands-on, informal, academic enrichment activities that are not always available to them during the regular school day like writing a play, painting a mural, planting a garden, receiving one-on-one tutoring, hip-hop dancing or fencing.

TASC started in 1998 with a $125 million challenge grant from the Open Society Institute (OSI) based on the condition that for every dollar OSI contributes, TASC is responsible for raising three dollars in other public and private monies. To date, TASC has leveraged more than $375 million in public and private funds to support TASC programs. TASC supports 279 after-school programs across New York State; 232 in NYC and 47 elsewhere in the state serving more than 53,000 students. For more information about TASC log onto www.tascorp.org

Bally Total Fitness is the largest and only nationwide commercial operator of fitness centers, with approximately four million members and 440 facilities located in 29 states, Mexico, Canada, Korea, China and the Caribbean under the Bally Total Fitness(R), Crunch Fitness(SM), Gorilla Sports(SM), Pinnacle Fitness(R), Bally Sports Clubs(R) and Sports Clubs of Canada(R) brands. With an estimated 150 million annual visits to its clubs, Bally offers a unique platform for distribution of a wide range of products and services targeted to active, fitness-conscious adult consumers.

Marlin Entertainment was established in 1990 and is a full-service marketing and promotion agency. Marlin has ranked among PROMO Magazine’s top 100 agencies for the past five years. For more information about Marlin Entertainment, log on to www.marlinent.com