An Olympic legend, the Hershey Co. and thousands of children in North America will be participating in this year’s Hershey’s Track & Field Games.

Hershey’s Track & Field Games encourages kids ages 9-14 to live balanced, active lifestyles by participating in community track and field games held across the country.

To commemorate the 35^thyear of the games, Hershey is inviting families to birthday parties throughout 2012 that will help them have fun and get active.

“The Hershey Co. is proud to be promoting physical activity for children,” says Michele Buck, senior v.p. and chief growth officer, The Hershey Co. “We are happy to share the Hershey’s Track & Field Games’ 35th birthday celebration with  children and families across North America this year.”

More than 10 million children have participated since the games first began. This year, the company will offer free RUN, JUMP, THROW Birthday Party Kits to families. The kits include instructions on how to play fun, activity-based games like Capture the Birthday Hat, Jump Rope Boogie and Balloon Blast, encouraging the whole family to run, jump and throw together.
 
Hershey’s Track & Field Games ambassador and Olympic legend Carl Lewis will join in the festivities in 2012. Lewis is one of two athletes ever to earn nine gold Olympic medals.
 
“I’m very excited to celebrate Hershey’s Track & Field Games’ 35^th birthday,” says Lewis. “Hershey is one of the first companies to create a program that encourages youth and family activity, and I’ve been honored to be a part of it for so long.”
 
The top boys and girls who advance through local, district (where applicable) and state/provincial/territorial Hershey’s Track & Field Games events will be eligible to qualify for their regional team and receive an all-expense-paid trip to compete in this summer's 2012 North American Final Meet in Hershey, Pa., courtesy of The Hershey Co.
 
— M.K.