February 13, 2009

AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION AND ROEL CONSTRUCTION JOIN FORCES TO GET CORPORATE SAN DIEGO WALKING

Sponsorship will help boost employee wellness, raise awareness of AHA’s revolutionary Start! physical activity program among San Diego businesses

San Diego, CA . . . The American Heart Association’s San Diego division (AHA) and ROEL Construction are partnering to promote the American Heart Association’s Start! Wellness Program—a no-cost corporate wellness campaign promoting healthy lifestyles.  The sponsorship will support cardiovascular disease research and programs, and establishes ROEL Construction as a community leader in the promotion of physical activity and workplace wellness in San Diego County.

“ROEL Construction is excited to support the American Heart Association’s Start! Movement,” said Wayne Hickey, ROEL Constuction CEO.  “The ROEL team is dedicated to educating the community about a proactive approach to heart care, and the Start! program is ideal in its focus on heart health and overall wellness. We look forward to a rewarding partnership with AHA,” Hickey added.

Launched in January 2007, Start! is a national movement that aims to get Americans walking where the majority of waking hours are spent: the workplace. Americans now work 164 more hours per year than 20 years ago, and as jobs change to require more sedentary activities such as thinking and communicating, American workers exercise less.

Such sedentary lifestyles lead to obesity issues and preventable illnesses that ultimately cost companies billions of dollars each year in absenteeism, lost productivity, and rising healthcare premiums.  Start! serves as both a smart fiscal choice, and a powerful catalyst for positive change in the culture of American businesses by helping to promote wellness in America’s workplaces.

“We know that lack of physical activity is a major contributor to the current epidemic of heart disease and stroke, the nation’s number one and number three killers, respectively,” said Dr. James Dunford, President of the San Diego division of the American Heart Association. 

“Yet, we also know that regular exercise lowers LDL (bad cholesterol) levels, lowers high blood pressure, and extends longevity and improves quality of life.  And walking is one of the best exercises because it is free, has a relatively low dropout rate, and is accessible,” Dr. Dunford said.

In fact, studies show that walking has the lowest dropout rate of any physical activity, which is why the American Heart Association has chosen to emphasize walking as the cornerstone of the
Start! program. Walking regularly – for as little as thirty minutes a day – can significantly reduce risk of cardiovascular disease.

“People need to understand that if they want to live a long, healthy life, they have to move,” Dr. Dunford said.  “We are confident that this partnership will help promote healthier lifestyles through walking in San Diego County.”

Start! is sponsored nationally by SUBWAY®, Healthy Choice® and AstraZeneca, and locally by ROEL Construction. For more information about how Start! is helping improve the health of Americans by focusing on an activity that is convenient, free, and easy, call (858) 410-3844 or visit americanheart.org/start.

About the American Heart Association
The American Heart Association is the largest voluntary health organization fighting heart disease, stroke and other cardiovascular diseases in local communities throughout America. These diseases devastate millions of people of all ages and claim nearly 950,000 lives a year.

About ROEL Construction
Founded on integrity, quality and trust, ROEL has been delivering construction excellence for over ninety years. Whether the job involves small tenant improvements, large-scale new construction or LEED certification – ROEL provides a wide variety of expertise to ensure an unparalleled client experience. ROEL has received the Contractor of the Year award eight times from the Associated General Contractors of America, San Diego Chapter, and is a nine-time winner of the Large General Contractor of the Year award from the American Subcontractors Association, San Diego Chapter. Additionally, the 2008 McGraw-Hill Engineering News-Record ranked ROEL 215th amongst the nation’s 400 largest general contractors. Headquartered in San Diego, ROEL also has offices in Irvine and Palm Desert, CA, Las Vegas, NV, and Kingman, AZ. In addition to general construction, ROEL provides tenant improvement, structural concrete and consulting services. For more information on ROEL Construction, visit www.roel.com.

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