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News, June 2014

A new sports ground for the youth of Belaya Kalitva is another gift of ZAO Alcoa Metallurg Rus to the city

A new multifunctional sports complex has been opened at the Rowing Center of Sports School # 2. It may be attended by everyone concerned about personal fitness. This is yet another facility built with the Alcoa Foundation funding under the program “Youth Votes for Health!” that is aimed at promoting healthy life styles among youth in Belaya Kalitva. This project has been implemented since 2011 by the Fund for Sustainable Development and with support from ZAO Alcoa Metallurg Rus. During this time, nine outdoor sports complexes have been  installed in the city.

Galina Alentyeva, head of Corporate Relations at Alcoa Metallurg Rus:

- The Program helps young people acquire proactive approaches to life and choose healthy lifestyles and provides additional opportunities to athletes to consolidate their successes. Those people who suddenly realize that something has gone wrong I both in their lives and with their health will be able to use these facilities to once again become fit and healthy. And all together, they will further strengthen their bodies and spirits  and attract new participants in this movement. Please take good care of the unique complex.

Elena Bondarchuk, FSD projects manager:

- During the first year of its existence, this initiative was included in the “Library of 100 Best Practices of Promoting Healthy Lifestyles among Youth in Russia” (a rating from the Ministry of Public Health and Social Development). The project continues to develop, introducing the culture of valuing health to small cities and towns and strengthening the platform of social partnerships among local businesses, government and public.

Alexei Khopryachkov, principal of Sports School # 2:

- We are glad that business is paying attention to us and that our school has become a participant in the Program. Investments into health and balanced development will be repaid generously. The equipment of the sports complex will give a chance to exercise both to children attending our school and to those who come here on their own. We are especially grateful for the professional rowing machines, thanks to which our students can now train not only on water. The metallurgical plant has donated the first of these machines, CONCEPT, a year ago, and since then our students have won medals in contests on such equipment. We are looking forward to new victories and new champions.

Dmitry Ustimenko, First Deputy Head of Belokalitvensky Raion:

- The action “Rostov Oblast – Territory of Health!”  announced last year by the Governor is aimed at advertising healthy lifestyles among youth. The Alcoa Foundation’s project “Youth Votes for Health!” has been smoothly integrated into this effort  that promotes mass sports activities. The nine sports grounds built in our raion is a priceless gift from Alcoa. Today every resident of Belaya Kalitva has a chance to improve one’s health and quality of life. Facilities that previously had been accessible only to a small group can now be used by increasing numbers of community members. Best of luck!

The Alcoa Foundation’s program of enhancing youth health includes not only the opening of outdoor fitness grounds, but further support to this project: training gym teachers to operate the equipment; organizing events promoting the project; and encouraging a fashion for health and healthy life priorities. The number of young people regularly using the fitness machines in Belaya Kalitva, determines the success of the Program: 70% of those who took part in Program events begin to actively attend the new sports facilities.

Providing sports grounds to schools and organizations in this community is not the only social initiative of the company. Alcoa Russia and Alcoa Foundation are carrying out long-term programs of supporting technical and economic education; promoting healthy lifestyles among youth; environmental education, including responsible water resources management for sustainable development; and assistance to pediatric cardiology. Furthermore, volunteers from the plant in Belaya Kalitva work on projects supporting socially vulnerable groups (senior citizens, orphans and persons with special needs) and involving conservation activities, area improvement efforts and help to non-profit organizations.

From 2005 through 2013, Alcoa Russia and the Alcoa Foundation invested a total of $3.3 million into social programs in Rostov region.