STATE OF EMERGENCY: NFL Star KERRY RHODES and ABC’s KARINA SMIRNOFF from “DANCING WITH THE STARS” Combat America’s Obesity Crisis by Bringing Awareness to Bessemer, AL

LOS ANGELES, CA – (July 10, 2013) – NFL star Kerry Rhodes (www.TheKerryRhodesFoundation.com) will return to his hometown this month with a message: Americans need to be doing more to improve the quality of their health. More than 12.5 million American children and adolescents are obese, a pandemic that is of enormous concern to the health and safety of future generations.

Coming back to Bessemer, AL, the city that propelled Kerry’s academic accomplishments and prepared him for the NFL, is a move befitting the experience Kerry hopes to provide his fellow Alabama natives. He has announced a partnership between The Kerry Rhodes Foundation and Fitness Experience’s Now Let’s Get Fit, a program designed to inform communities of the health risks and higher costs of living associated with childhood and adult obesity. Both organizations are dedicated to creating a fun, inspiring and interactive scholastic experience with Kerry Rhodes, celebrity guests and health care specialists through events, educational tools and fitness activities.

On Saturday, July 13, and Monday, July 15, Now Let’s Get Fit will be hosting its first annual two-day event at Bessemer’s Legacy YMCA, where Kerry will appear alongside Karina Smirnoff from the hit TV show Dancing With The Stars and former Miss California Tami Farrell. Saturday between 8 a.m. – 3 p.m., participants will be invited to free obesity related testing and screening sessions before Kerry and Tami lead families in a series of home exercises, followed by a healthy, free lunch. Monday evening from 5 p.m. – 6 p.m., Karina Smirnoff and Kerry will be signing autographs before leading two adult fitness workout classes and talking about healthy ways to improve diets on a budget until 9 p.m.

Bob Sykes Bar-B-Q, a sponsor of the event, will be preparing a healthy lunch for participants, and UAB Medical West will be conducting obesity screenings and testing.

Kerry Rhodes invites you, your family and your friends to join Now Let’s Get Fit and contribute to the fight against obesity. One person can make a difference; only a movement can end the threat. Reserve your spot by signing up at The Kerry Rhodes Foundation.

For more information, or to interview Kerry Rhodes, contact Los Angeles publicity specialist Eileen Koch of Eileen Koch & Company INC., a full service PR, Marketing and Branding firm at 310.441.1000 or email Eileen@eileenkoch.com. Visit www.EileenKoch.com.