Boston Celtics, Sun Life, and Dorchester YMCA hosted fit to win nutrition event

Photos from the Fit to Win Event can be found here.

BOSTON, MA – The Boston Celtics and Sun Life U.S. held a special event today at the Dorchester YMCA as part of the Fit to Win program. Twenty-five elementary and middle school students, along with Celtics players Svi Mykhailiuk and Derrick White participated in the nutrition event, where they competed to make the best smoothies and salads, and heard from the players about their favorite game-day meals and how they make healthy choices. Fit to Win is a four-week program that teaches kids from participating YMCA locations in the Greater Boston area about fitness, nutrition, healthy lifestyle habits, and mindfulness.

Svi Mykhailiuk and Derrick White took part in a Q&A led by C’s Director of Community Engagement Kash Cannon, and the students learned about the importance of following a balanced diet to help fuel their bodies. The smoothie and salad making competition was judged by NBC 10 Host Kwani Lunis and Sun Life U.S. CFO Neil Haynes, who is a board member of the YMCA of Greater Boston.

“Health and wellness are important no matter what age you are, so it’s always exciting to get out in the community and hang out with the kids as they learn about the importance of nutrition,” said Boston Celtics player Derrick White.

Since 2015, the Celtics and Sun Life have co-sponsored the Fit to Win initiative, which has reached more than 2,000 youths since it began. Students participate in daily workouts while learning valuable lessons about eating healthy and maintaining an active lifestyle. Celtics-themed prizes are given out throughout the four-week program, ending with a “Championship Event” celebration. Students take surveys at the beginning and end of Fit to Win to show what they’ve learned as well.

“We love seeing the kids engage in the nutrition event because it gives them a hands-on experience with healthy food and motivates them to make healthier choices at home,” said Haynes. “Fit to Win teaches kids valuable lessons about living healthy that will stay with them as they grow, and we’re thrilled to have been offering this program for ten years.”

Sun Life’s partnership with the Celtics also includes #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes, a fundraising campaign held each November (Diabetes Awareness Month) to support the YMCA of Greater Boston’s Healthy Habits program, a 10-week educational course for adults at risk for type 2 diabetes.

About the Boston Celtics

A charter member of the Basketball Association of America (which evolved into the National Basketball Association) since 1946, the Boston Celtics have won a record 17 NBA championships, including eight (8) in a row from 1959-1966, winning their first title in 1957 and their most recent in 2008. The Celtics have long stood for equality, and respect, including hiring the first African- American coach and starting the first all-Black starting five. In addition, 50 former Celtics players, management or staff have been inducted into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame. In December 2002 the team returned to local ownership for the first time since 1963. For more information on the Celtics, log on to www.celtics.com.

About Sun Life

Sun Life is a leading international financial services organization providing asset management, wealth, insurance and health solutions to individual and institutional Clients. Sun Life has operations in a number of markets worldwide, including Canada, the United States, the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, the Philippines, Japan, Indonesia, India, China, Australia, Singapore, Vietnam, Malaysia and Bermuda. As of September 30, 2023, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.34 trillion. For more information, please visit www.sunlife.com.

Sun Life Financial Inc. trades on the Toronto (TSX), New York (NYSE) and Philippine (PSE) stock exchanges under the ticker symbol SLF.

Sun Life U.S. is one of the largest providers of employee and government benefits, helping more than 50 million Americans access the healthcare and coverage they need. Through employers, industry partners and government programs, Sun Life U.S. offers a portfolio of benefits and services, including dental, vision, disability, absence management, life, supplemental health, medical stop-loss insurance, and healthcare navigation. Sun Life employs nearly 8,300 people in the U.S., including associates in our partner dental practices and affiliated companies in asset management. Group insurance policies are issued by Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada (Wellesley Hills, Mass.), except in New York, where policies are issued by Sun Life and Health Insurance Company (U.S.) (Lansing, Mich.). For more information visit our website and newsroom.

CONTACTS:

Christian Megliola, Boston Celtics – cmegliola@celtics.com

Taylor Kielpinski-Rogers, Boston Celtics – taylor@celtics.com

Caroline Weber, Boston Celtics – cweber@celtics.com

Devon Portney Fernald, Sun Life – devon.portney.fernald@sunlife.com