The Team8 Tour is a national campaign aimed at building healthy communities. United Healthcare’s “Do Good. Live Well” volunteer initiative joins the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation on a journey to impact young people across the country in the areas of health and fitness. Since 2016, the Team8 Tour has incited thousands of volunteers in support of high schools and local community centers across the country, impacting more than 30,000 young people through a variety of service projects.
The 2021 St. Paul Team8 Tour was a two-day project taking place on Tuesday, August 31st and Wednesday, September 1st at Washington Technology Magnet School in St. Paul, MN. Projects were themed around supporting WTM in their efforts to be a safe haven for Saint Paul Public School students and a fitness resource for students, staff and the surrounding community. The Team8 Tour worked on revamping the school’s fitness spaces, renovating the front entrance garden areas, school store enhancements, and assembling an athletic concessions kiosk. Impact Fitness consultant, Chris Welsh, led an incredible interactive training demonstration of the new equipment for both coaches and student-athletes alike. This impressive event wrapped up with an awesome meal which was prepared by United Health Care volunteers under the direction of Jenny Broccoli, a licensed Nutritionist and faculty member within the department of Culinary Nutrition at the University of Minnesota.
Some of the many new additions to the fitness space include new indoor turf, five power racks with adjustable benches and bumper plates, complete sets of dumbbells, medicine balls, TRX suspensions, powers sleds, concept cardio machines, and so much more. Students, coaches, and staff at WTM are ready to kick off the new school year with this amazing spark of fitness inspiration from the Team8 Tour.
The project planning began in June of 2021 with virtual meetings and a quick 4-hour touch down of the Baltimore, Maryland based group. The vision to make this project a reality in an astounding 10 weeks came from masterminds Chris Rubright of the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation and Chris Welsh of Impact Fitness. Joe Rossow, the Executive Vice President of Educational Programs and Operations for the Cal Ripken, Sr. Foundation, is a long-time MN resident and educator was instrumental in the undertaking and success of this project. The 70 United Health Care volunteers coordinated by Sara Ball of UHC were tremendous and the sweat equity which poured from the volunteers was inspiring. The planning and teamwork that went into making these projects come to life was nothing short of amazing.
A huge thank you to the Cal Ripken Sr. Foundation, Impact Fitness, United Health Care, and the entire Team8 Tour for taking on this massive project and leaving a lasting impression on students, staff, and the entire Washington Technology Magnet community. To the many hands and hearts that played a part in this, we thank you!
Written By: Jesse McCann, Washington Technology Magnet's Athletic Director
Editor: Kelly Sandquist, Assistant Athletic Director
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