San Antonio Youths Awarded Top Honors in Photography Contest Created to Promote Health and Fitness

H-E-B, Kraft Foods and Colgate-Palmolive to Award Prizes and Present $5,000 to the Greater San Antonio YMCA

SAN ANTONIO, TX – Jan. 9, 2008 –Twenty San Antonio youth, ages 8 to12, from the Greater San Antonio YMCA After-School program have been selected as winners in a photography contest held by H-E-B, Kraft Foods and Colgate-Palmolive. The students were challenged with capturing photos that depicted active and healthy lifestyles in motion. The winners, selected from more than 200 entries for best reflecting this theme, were each presented today with a plaque and a $100 H-E-B Gift Card during an in-store celebration at the H-E-B store located at 300 W. Olmos. Three-time Olympic gold medalist Josh Davis presented the awards. The winning photographs are featured in the 2008 Health and Fitness Journal that is available at any H-E-B for free with the purchase of participating Kraft or Colgate-Palmolive products. To cap-off the celebration, a $5,000 check was presented to the Greater San Antonio YMCA in recognition of its powerful impact in the community.

“We thank H-E-B, Kraft Foods and Colgate-Palmolive for their generous donation and for providing this wonderful opportunity for the youth in our after-school program to participate in this project,” said Tony Penn, YMCA of Greater San Antonio Vice President of Financial Development. “The experience they gained will do much to mold their future character in a strong and positive way.”

Contest winners are:

• Kruz Silan Crosier       age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Peyton Fikac         age 9          Bob Beard Elementary
• Emily Hawley          age 9          Bob Beard Elementary
• Selin Cimen          age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Michael Friemel             age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Andrew Lambert        age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Madelaine Goldspink      age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Devin Maltais       age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Kathryn Martinez         age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Joe Anthony Suarez      age 10        Bob Beard Elementary
• Julienne Bajusz       age 11        Bob Beard Elementary
• Krysta Saxon       age 9          Green Valley Elementary
• Annalise Hall            age 10        Green Valley Elementary
• Sabrina Esparza          age 11       Harlandale Middle School
• Monique Guia          age 11        Harlandale Middle School
• Richard Valenzuela      age 12        Harlandale Middle School
• Stephanie Vazquez      age 12        Harlandale Middle School
• Justin Del Toro          age 13        Harlandale Middle School
• Nick Garcia        age 11        Truman Middle School
• Deidre Woods       age 12        Truman Middle School

In addition to featuring the winning photographs and valuable savings offers, the 80-page Health and Fitness Journal also provides recipes, health, nutrition and fitness information as well as space to record fitness and dietary goals and accomplishments.

“As a company, we are strongly committed to the health and well-being of our customers,” said Winell Herron, H-E-B Group Vice President of Public Affairs and Diversity. “This program provides a great avenue for getting the youth in our community involved in encouraging everyone to live a healthier lifestyle. We look forward to sharing their photographs and the Health and Fitness Journal with our customers across the state.”

“We’re proud to be a partner in this project and provide Texas families with a wealth of information on healthy living and eating,” said Wanda Young, Market Development Manager for Colgate-Palmolive. “We’re committed to educating the community on making healthy choices for themselves and their families.”

H-E-B, Kraft Food and Colgate-Palmolive sponsored a series of photography seminars for the youth in the YMCA After-School program in which they learned how to express themselves and share their views of the world through photography. Each participant was then given a digital camera to own and keep.

“Kraft Foods is thrilled be a partner in this wonderful program that encourages and recognizes the youth in our community for their creative accomplishments,” said Judy Anderson, Collaborative Marketing Manager – Texas Region for Kraft Foods. “Like the other partners in this program, Kraft Foods is dedicated to promoting the message of health and nutrition and the journal provides a fantastic way of sharing this message.” 

About H-E-B
For more than 100 Years, H-E-B has been an innovative retailer. Known for its fresh food, quality products, convenient services, and a commitment to environmental responsibility and sustainability, H-E-B strives to provide the best customer experience at every day low prices. Based in San Antonio, H-E-B employs more than 60,000 Partners and serves millions of customers in more than 150 communities throughout Texas and Mexico. For more information, visit www.heb.com.