Posts Tagged ‘associations speaker’

World Champion wheelchair athlete continues to spread message of motivation to help our youth to get fit across the nation by Daniel Gotera / 11 Sports khou.com

Friday, June 18th, 2010

HOUSTON – It was 29 years ago this month that Kevin Saunders’ life was changed forever. “Thanks to the good Lord I got a second chance,” said Saunders. A grain elevator explosion left him paralyzed from the chest down so that second chance wasn’t going to be easy. “Physical injuries didn’t kill me,” said Saunders. “The self doubt and the deep depression that I went through almost did.” But a wheelchair race a year after the accident in Georgia changed all that. Since then, Kevin has made it a mission to encourage everyone, especially young people, to stay active and never give up. A message he learned through fitness.

“It means a great deal to me to be able to help the young people get excited about improving their education to enable them to make healthier choices for fitness activities and the foods they eat and to be able to make a difference in the communities across America,” said Saunders.

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Kevin Saunders nominated for chairman of President’s Fitness Council wants to follow First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign to fight childhood obesity on his Fitness 4 All 50 state tour

Saturday, March 6th, 2010

2010 – The Kansas Senate unanimously passed Senate Resolution No. 1819 sponsored by Senator Janis Lee adopted by the entire SENATE body, supporting Kevin Saunders for the position of chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports. After the reading of the Resolution the Senate & guests gave tribute to Mr. Saunders with 5 minutes of applause for his accomplishments and to support him to become the next chairman of the President’s Fitness Council.”

Kevin Saunders plan as chairman includes following up on what Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger started over 20 years ago as Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports when he visited all 50 states to advocate for daily, quality physical education and fitness. Kevin formed the non-profit corporation entitled’ Fitness 4 All 50 state tour and plans when appointed chairman to also follow First Lady, Michelle Obama’s lead fighting childhood obesity and support her; “Let’s Move” campaign.” Governor Schwarzenegger’s quote about Kevin says it best! “Kevin’s broken body bears silent testimony to one who has overcome tremendous obstacles to get fit and beckons others to follow.” — California Governor Schwarzenegger

Kevin Saunders will visit all 50 states with a plan to encourage schools and school districts, students, parents, teachers and administrators, city and state officials to become lifelong supporters of the initiative to create accountability for fitness education, increased fitness activities and providing healthier choices. Kevin wants to get students and parents involved with frequent PTA meetings with the support of National healthy food vendors and fitness leaders to help the diverse at risk populations to learn how to incorporate eating healthy and exercising into their everyday lives. Also providing students and parents with information and education on how to properly read and understand food labels. The National healthy food vendors will help by providing free coupons as incentives for healthy foods, simple recipes and shopping tips to students and parents. Part of this plan involves helping students and parents understand how they can buy healthy foods and prepare them together as a family at a lesser cost and how it is better for you than eating out at fast food or convenience stores all of the time.

Kevin will be criss-crossing each state with his team to share his motivational message of how fitness, eating right and making healthier choices gave him his life back after being blown over 300 feet through the air onto a concrete parking lot. Leaving him hospitalized for almost a year. Kevin found himself paralyzed from the chest down with no core balance when he reentered mainstream life. Kevin Saunders came back to become a world champion wheelchair athlete earning the title “World’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete” and became one of the top motivational speakers in America. Kevin will share his message of “Tragedy to Triumph” with students in big, medium and small school districts across each state in America. Kevin also wants to provide students with daily accountability journals so they can set their short & long term goals for the education, fitness & making healthier choices.

Kevin will follow the administrations lead to encourage school districts to buy into the First Lady’s “Let’s Move” campaign using preventative measures for obesity by providing healthier choices improved fitness and activities all students can take part in. Kevin will also meet with Mayors, City Councils and community leaders and concerned citizens and state Governors and their Health & Human Services staff to get them on board to provide the partnerships with corporate and business leaders. In order to help provide and raise the funds necessary to build the lifelong support mechanism that will promote and provide the fitness education and activities, healthy eating choices necessary to help maintain a lasting permanent change to reduce childhood obesity. Kevin wants to help cut down on the hundreds of billions of dollars being spent by our national health care system on obesity related diseases.

Kevin learned firsthand after working with Head Coach, Bill Snyder and being part of the “Greatest turnaround in college football history” that you have to get the student / athletes to buy into the program. Then you have to get the University President and Board of Regents and other university leaders to buy in as well and help provide the support and funds necessary to help Kansas State University compete with other major Division-1 football programs in America. Then you have to get the support of the Alumni to financially support your goals as well as businesses like Nike for uniforms and many others. You have to also get people to see things differently in Kansas State football that was Coach Snyder convincing people after only 4 winning seasons from WWII to 1990 Kansas State only had 4 winning seasons. The 5 years prior to Head Coach Bill Snyder’s arrival the football team had only won 4 games. As you can imagine convincing people they could win football games and become champions in football at Kansas State took not only a great plan, leadership it took a great deal of effort in many different areas to truly make a lasting winning change for the better.
By getting everyone working together for a common goal to improve fitness education, activities and making and providing healthier choices for our youth we can win the fight against childhood obesity in America!

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Senator Janis Lee Sponsors Senate Resolution Supporting Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports

Monday, February 15th, 2010

 

Senator Janis Lee Sponsors Senate Resolution supporting Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports The official presentation of the Senate Resolution to Kevin Saunders will be held February 10 at 2:35 PM on the Senate Floor at the State Capitol in Topeka, KS. The resolution supporting Kevin Saunders appointment to chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports was adopted by the Senate body and a copy was sent to the President.

Topeka, KS (PRWEB) February 9, 2010 — Senator Janis Lee Sponsors Senate Resolution supporting Kevin Saunders for Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports.

The official presentation of the Senate Resolution to Kevin Saunders will be held February 10 at 2:35 PM on the Senate Floor at the State Capitol in Topeka, KS. The resolution supporting Kevin Saunders appointment to chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports was adopted by the Senate body and a copy was sent to the President.

Senator Lee believes that Kevin would serve as the best possible choice to lead the President’s Fitness Council as chairman.

“I am extremely proud to introduce a Senate Resolution on behalf of Kevin Saunders. Despite being badly injured and handicapped in 1981, Kevin has dedicated his life to promoting physical activity and fitness among Kansans of all ages, backgrounds, and abilities. Through his advocacy, Kevin has positively touched the lives of countless disabled Americans and serves as a role model to us all.” — Senator Janis Lee

Kevin Saunders isn’t just a fitness icon; he is an example of the American spirit in action. Paralyzed from the chest down by one of the worst industrial accidents in our nation’s history — a grain elevator explosion that launched him more than 100 yards and should have left him dead — he has gone on to become a celebrated athlete, champion, and example for young people everywhere.

While a personal tragedy of that magnitude might have ended the dreams of most people, Kevin has turned his misfortune into a catalyst for self achievement, both in himself and others. Not content to simply accept a limited “life with a disability,” he used physical fitness as the tool with which he could reshape his life. Beginning with small, local races, he turned from a young man cut down in his prime to an emerging athletic force, winning regional, national, and eventually international competitions.

It’s possible that being a two-time Paralympian and medal winner who in 1990 was named “the world’s greatest all-around wheelchair athlete” would be impressive enough. These achievements, however, only scratch the surface. Following his performances in Korea and Spain, Kevin was appointed to the President’s Council by George H.W. Bush — making him the first person with a disability / Paralympian to serve on the council, and the only member reappointed by President Bill Clinton.

At the conclusion of that term, Kevin continued to serve the American people by pushing himself from one end of the country to the other, over 2,500 painstaking miles in all, stopping in cities and towns along the way to hold forums on fitness. He has made it his mission, should he be selected for service on the President’s Council again, this time as chairman he plans to visit all 50 states personally and do whatever he can to help Americans enjoy happier, healthier lives. His plan is to spend a minimum of two weeks in each state, not only meeting with political and community leaders, but motivating students to keep daily accountability journals with their short and long term goals for education, fitness and making healthier choices.

As someone with extensive experience on the President’s Council, not to mention extensive media exposure and a commitment to health and fitness throughout our nation, Kevin Saunders is the perfect choice for Chairman of President Obama’s President’s Council Physical Fitness & Sports. He understands exactly what it will take to build a healthier America, and he’s committed to doing whatever it takes to create lasting change.

At the state capitol of Kansas there will be many in attendance in support of Kevin Saunders appointment as the next chairman of the President’s Fitness Council, one of which will be Kevin’s long-time friend and supporter legendary Head Football Coach Bill Snyder of the Kansas State University Wildcats, who orchestrated the greatest turn-around in college football history and possibly all of sports. As Head Coach Bill Snyder said in his letter to President Obama, “Kevin Saunders through is determination, pride and faith in his country, his leadership capacity, his ability to command great respect from his peers, his honesty and loyalty, and the intrinsic value system he has in place, in my eyes become the perfect fit to chair the President’s Fitness Council. This country and its youth would profit amazing well from his selection.”

Another great supporter of Kevin’s is former 2-time Olympic Gold Medalist in the Pole Vault and first person to be featured on the Wheaties box, Bob Richards, who quotes “Mr. President, One of the most heroic and valiant endeavors in the world of sport that I have ever seen is the effort and struggle of Kevin Saunders. Crippled by a blast in a grain elevator and thrown hundreds of feet into a crumpled mass and unbelievably and miraculously fought to survive. Not only living, he resolved to take his crippled body and make a great contribution to life.”

Help Kevin Saunders wheel his way to Washington to serve the country as Chair of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sport. Visit www.KevinSaunders.com, go to the left and under the big blue NEVER GIVE UP! and click on ‘Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next Chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?’ Then send a letter to President Obama today.

For any questions please feel free to contact:
Dora Ortiz at Saunders & Associates at info(at)kevinsaunders(dot)com
Website: www.KevinSaunders.com (on home page on left side below Olympic torch, below the blue NEVER GIVE UP! Click on pdf link entitled: “Who is Kevin Saunders and why should he be the next chairman of the President’s Council on Physical Fitness & Sports?)
PH: 713-686-0077

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