Exercise with your kids, change their lives.

The Foundation's Justine Harris discusses the importance of setting an example for your children of a healthy, active lifestyle with her own special father/daughter experience.

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It’s amazing what you can do when you exercise with someone else. 

In early 2010, my dad started getting in great shape. He began eating healthier and exercising almost every day. He ran 5K and 10K races and even participated in a triathlon at a lake near our house—and finished well!

That was the summer right before my senior year of college. I knew I needed to do more exercising—Ben & Jerry sure weren’t getting me anywhere. I had to start getting on my feet during the school year. My dad’s ambition started to rub off on me.

Sure, I had experience in exercising. I’m a great power walker. I know my way around an elliptical machine. But his idea for me? Running.

Yikes.

I was one of those kids who “ran” the whole mile in those Presidential fitness tests in grade school. And by “ran” I mean “walked when the teacher wasn’t looking.” Terrible, I know. I played a couple of sports, but only until 8^th grade. The most intense cardio I did in high school was at marching band practice. Read: not athletic.

As much as I questioned running as a regular workout, my dad came back with reasons why it works—and how it would help me both physically and mentally. He is living proof of that. I had to give it a try.

So I popped on my Pumas, shorts and t-shirt, went to the indoor track at my university, and brought lots of water.

Let’s just keep it short and say I failed miserably at that first run. Seriously, it was bad. I could maybe go a quarter of a mile at a time. Listening to my iPod helped a little, but I was still a mess. I am normally a confident person, but out there, I started to seriously doubt my abilities as a runner. To be honest, I was pretty sure I’d never be able to run a whole mile.

Then, my dad began exercising with me. I was living at school, about an hour from my hometown, so he made the drive over once a week. We’d run on the indoor track and always get Panera for dinner after. I would always feel that familiar tightening in my stomach after a half mile, but my dad would tell me to work through the pain. He’d keep running, so naturally, I had to try to keep up.

Week by week, I started running one mile at a time with him, then two, then eventually the whole 3.1 miles (5K) around the track. If my dad wasn’t running with me, I would have probably thrown in the towel and given in to the stomach knots. But I didn’t. 

I started running four to five days per week on my own, in addition to our once-per-week father/daughter workouts. I began strengthening my muscles, running even longer distances and becoming faster. And those stomach knots disappeared. Since then, I have continued to run regularly and have competed in multiple 5K races. (For those keeping score out there, my dad can still beat me by a mile.)

I realized that having someone to exercise with, especially a parent, is so valuable. My parents have been my role models my whole life. They have influenced me positively, making it easy to follow their lead. The same goes for exercise. Staying healthy and active with your kids is really important, no matter how old they are. Lead them to a healthy, active lifestyle by leading your own. If you go outside and take a walk, take your kids with you. If you make fruits and veggies a part of your diet, they will too. And maybe, if you start running, they might just try to keep up.

Justine Harris, Projects Manager, ANNIKA Foundation

Day 3: The perfect end to a great tournament.

ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills

DAY 3

Friday, August 26

Mission Hills, CHINA - The third and final day of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills was both fantastic and historic.

Each event during the final day of the ANNIKA Invitational was executed flawlessly by our first-class tournament partner, Mission Hills Golf Club in China.

Friday began with a meeting with the Mission Hills senior management team to discuss how to improve the tournament in future years and to brainstorm about two other possible events. That session was followed by a sound bite film session with Annika and the Mission Hills video team, as well as the tournament press conference, which was attended by more than 100 media and related parties.

Two hours of interviews followed with ESPN, Golf Digest from both Japan and Hong Kong, local television stations, regional golf associations and other golf print media.

Annika took a break to eat lunch near the 18^th green of the Olazabal course before heading out to the 18^th green of the Annika Course to greet the girls as they completed their final round.

Despite all the busy activities of the morning and early afternoon, Annika greeted and thanked the final seven groups of Asia's future stars as each completed play. She also witnessed Charlotte Thomas’ two-foot putt that clinched her victory.

The impressive awards ceremony stage was executed in the 15 minutes following play. Over 200 players, parents, dignitaries, media and golf fans stayed to watch. It was very special.

Then, as a fitting end to a historic week, Annika crowned the first-ever all-girls tournament champion of Asia, Charlotte Thomas of Singapore. 11-year-old Ru Qing Guan from China was runner-up.

Only Hurricane Irene put a damper (no pun intended) on this event from across the world – when we arrived in Hong Kong, we were informed Annika’s flight home through New York was cancelled. Of course she understood but she didn’t mind – this would give her an extra 15 hours to savor memories of this great event!

-Don Ochsenreiter, President, ANNIKA Foundation

For a complete event summary of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, please click here to head to our website. 

Day 2: Annika's here!

ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills

DAY 2

Thursday, August 25

Mission Hills, CHINA (11:00 p.m.) - We had a full day of activities on this second day of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills! Needless to say, we're ready for some serious sleep. Have to rest up for the final round tomorrow! Here's a look back at all the great things we did today at Mission Hills.

6:30 a.m. - After arriving at Mission Hills in grand style with an entourage fit for a queen – complete with a motorcade and large-scale welcoming party – Annika signed memorabilia for VIP guests and prepared for the day.

7:30 a.m. - Round 2 Begins on ANNIKA Course at Mission Hills

12:00 p.m. - Next up, we attended a wonderful luncheon for 30 key sponsors and VIP supporters of the event, followed by two business proposal meetings with the senior management team of Mission Hills on two new projects. 

Annika at lunch with Tenniel Chu, Vice Chairman of Mission Hills (right) and other key sponsors.

2:00 p.m. - After a quick change of clothes, the Annika entourage boarded fancy golf carts and toured the ANNIKA course, the one on which our 70 talented juniors are competing for the ANNIKA Invitational title this week.

3:30 p.m. - Round 2 Finishes

4:00 p.m. - After Round 2 was in the books, Annika hosted a golf clinic for the players and various VIPs at the mountain-top teaching facility.  It was great to see all of the young juniors volunteering to participate with Annika as she demonstrated the fundamentals of each golf shot.

Annika works with a player on fundamentals at Thursday's clinic.

7:45 p.m. - At the Players’ Banquet, the competitors got a treat during dinner. They all sat very quietly in awe as Annika participated live on the Golf Channel’s Morning Drive show – 7:45 am EST in the US, but 7:45 pm here in Guangdong, China.  It’s an experience they won’t forget, and neither will we.

The final round is tomorrow, with plenty of activities on tap before Annika crowns the very first ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills champion.  Pretty cool and exciting – not just for the kids, but for Annika, too.

-Don Ochsenreiter, President, ANNIKA Foundation


For a complete event summary of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, please click here to head to our website. 

For live scoring of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, please click here.

Day 1: Next time, we're using a cart.

 ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills

DAY 1

Wednesday, August 24

Mission Hills, CHINA (10:00 p.m.) - When I travel, I always pack an extra shirt - just in case.  Today I needed it.

 

After my morning tournament planning meetings with the Mission Hills team, I ventured out to the ANNIKA course to watch the 70 top Asian junior girls play round one of our new, inaugural event – the first-ever all girls event in Asia.  Although I had heard the course is hilly, I decided I would walk it to get a good feel for how it was playing.

My two chaperones from Mission Hills did not think this was a good idea. They explained the competitors were allowed to use both a caddy and a cart due to the hilly terrain of the course.

Hole #1 at the Annika Course at Mission Hills

I arrived on the first tee and took a look.  They were certainly right – how else does a 5,400 yard layout play to a slope of 136 from the tees the juniors were using?  Eighteen up-and-down holes later and a 100% soaked shirt in 90+ degree weather with 90+ percent humidity told me the decision to use a caddy and cart was a good one.

Picture yourself in the foothills of the Appalachian mountains with lush tropical landscaping of South America and you’ve got the ANNIKA course.  Actually, I think Annika must be related to Tom Fazio – there are neatly-designed bunkers everywhere with plenty of undulation on the greens.  With the change of elevation and the challenge of the bunkers and other hazards strategically placed, I seriously doubted any of these juniors could break par, but five of them did today during round one. 

Using my interpreter, I had an opportunity to talk with many of the players today.  All of them were very polite and excited about this event.  I gave a couple of them high-fives after both nearly made a hole-in-one on one of the six par 3 holes. 

A player and her caddie before Round 1 at Mission Hills. (Where can we find one of those awesome hats?)

One final curious fact – out of the 70 girls competing this week, only 15 of them are playing in the 16-18 age division, compared with 55 girls who are 15 and younger.  That just shows us how recent a phenomena junior girls’ golf is in Asia, and that it’s growing!  

Annika arrives tomorrow morning to spend two full days with the girls, including a golf clinic, a fun dinner and possibly a live broadcast during their banquet to the Morning Drive show on the Golf Channel.  The girls were excited today when they saw the ANNIKA Invitational logo on my shirt, so just imagine how excited they will be tomorrow when they see her in person!

-Don Ochsenreiter, President, ANNIKA Foundation


For a complete event summary of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, please click here to head to our website. 

For live scoring of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, please click here. 

On a Mission

Greetings from beautiful China!

Foundation president Don Ochsenreiter is on the ground at the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, China's first-ever junior girls-only tournament. The top three winners of this tournament will come to the U.S. to compete in next year's ANNIKA Invitational in Orlando. These girls are some of the best junior golfers in Asia, so get ready for some serious competition.

Play begins tomorrow! Here at the ANNIKA Foundation, we couldn't be more excited. Each morning until the end of the week, we'll keep you up-to-date on each round and post exclusive photos of the tournament. There will also be to-the-minute updates on Twitter @ANNIKA_Fdn and fun quiz questions and facts about Mission Hills on our Facebook page.

For a complete event summary of the ANNIKA Invitational at Mission Hills, click here to head to our website.

Sioux Falls...vacation destination?

In my 30 years and three million miles of business travel around the world, I had never been to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.  Before arriving there on Friday, I really didn’t have a good or bad perception of Sioux Falls…OK, maybe this…teepees and wagon trains?  Coal-fired locomotives?  Snow?

I traveled there to meet Annika and attend several Sanford Health events, including the 12th Annual Sanford Children's Gala. Needless to say, Annika and I had an absolutely amazing visit – both with Sanford Health (SH) and in Sioux Falls!

SH has quickly become one of the leading healthcare organizations in the US.  Yes, the Sioux Falls metro area is populated with less than 200,000 people, but Sioux Falls-based SH serves 2 million people between Minneapolis and Denver.

We made this trek because Sanford Health is rapidly taking a leadership role in solving some big-time healthcare issues. Its passion for children’s health and wellness closely aligns with ours.

Mr. Sanford and the ANNIKA Foundation have much in common!

Denny Sanford, the 75 year-old philanthropist who made immense wealth in the banking and credit card industries, is the financial engine behind Sanford Health’s bold initiatives. Since 2007, Mr. Sanford has invested more than $800 million in gifts to support research to find a cure for both diabetes and breast cancer. Last Wednesday, SH announced it would spend $1 billion over the next five years to construct new research and medical facilities to find a cure for these diseases. In addition, Mr. Sanford announced a $100 million gift to construct a state-of-the-art breast cancer research center, named in honor of his late mother, Edith Sanford, who died of the disease when he was four years old.

Like the ANNIKA Foundation, Mr. Sanford is passionate about children’s health and wellness around the world. A few months ago, Annika began discussions with him about working together to teach kids and their families about preventative healthcare – encouraging them to pursue a healthy, active lifestyle through regular physical activity and great nutrition habits.

Annika with ESPN golf analyst and former US Open Champion Andy North.

ESPN golf analyst and former US Open champion Andy North chairs Sanford Health’s Children’s International Board. He invited Annika to serve on the Board and she gladly accepted. Today, SH has seven children’s clinics open or in the works, including new ones announced this week in Israel, Mexico and Ghana. The clinics are desperately needed in these underserved areas.

The Sanford Health facilities, doctors and professional staff were first-class and the gala was inspirational.  Every aspect of our visit greatly exceeded our expectations. We hope to make a big announcement soon about how the ANNIKA Foundation and Sanford Health will partner to promote children’s health and wellness around the world!

My perception of Sioux Falls is quite different now.

- Don Ochsenreiter, President, ANNIKA Foundation

Welcome!

Hi everyone! Welcome to the ANNIKA Foundation Blog. We’re excited to start this new venture and share the mission of the Foundation in more ways than ever. You’ll be able to read inspirational stories of kids and their families, be in the know about events both in the U.S. and overseas, and get real-time updates on special Foundation announcements.

This blog is about you, too. Stories about healthy, active kids, information about what your school is doing to promote health and wellness–we want to hear it all! Post comments here, or if you’re really feeling Internet-savvy… also connect with us on Facebook and Twitter.

- AF