Sun Life U.S. and Maine Celtics hold second annual Fit to Win program at Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine

Rhea-AI Summary

Sun Life U.S. (SLF) and the Maine Celtics hosted their second annual Fit to Win event at the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine in Portland. The program, featuring Maine Celtics players DJ Rodman and Don Carey, Jr., focused on teaching kids about fitness, nutrition, and mental wellness through various activities tracked via 'fitness passport' stamps.

The event included activities like smoothie making, journal writing, and basketball workouts. Sun Life U.S., a provider of employee benefits and health services, partnered with the Maine Celtics in 2023, expanding their existing Boston Celtics partnership. The companies previously collaborated to renovate a basketball court at the Boys and Girls Club in June 2023.

The Fit to Win program, which has been running with the YMCA of Greater Boston since 2015, has reached over 2,000 children across New England. Sun Life and the Boston Celtics also conduct the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign annually to support the YMCA's Healthy Habits program.

PORTLAND, Maine, Feb. 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Today, Sun Life U.S. and the Maine Celtics held the second annual Fit to Win event at the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine in Portland. Maine Celtics players DJ Rodman and Don Carey, Jr. were there to coach and support the kids as they engaged in different health and fitness activities. Based on the Fit to Win program Sun Life runs with the Boston Celtics, the program teaches kids about fitness, nutrition and mental wellness with activities they track through "fitness passport" stamps. Throughout the afternoon, Boys and Girls Club middle-schoolers rotated through different stations, including smoothie making, journal writing, and basketball workouts, collecting their stamps along the way.

"We are excited to bring this program to the Boys and Girls Club of Southern Maine for the second year and support all the great work they do with the kids in our community," said Dajuan Eubanks, team president, Maine Celtics. "We thank Sun Life for their partnership and continued support in bringing this program to Maine."

Sun Life U.S. is a leading provider of employee benefits and health services that help people access the care and coverage they need. The company became partners of the Maine Celtics in 2023, an expansion of its partnership with the Boston Celtics. In June of that year Sun Life and the Maine Celtics unveiled a newly renovated basketball court at the Boys and Girls Club.

"When we equip kids with the knowledge they need to live healthier lives, we help them become healthy adults," said Ed Milano, vice president of Marketing, Sun Life U.S. "We're pleased to be able to work with the wonderful staff at the Boys and Girls Club, along with the Maine Celtics, and see how much fun the kids have during the Fit to Win experience."

Sun Life U.S. has been an official partner of the Boston Celtics for more than a decade and has been conducting the Fit to Win program with the YMCA of Greater Boston since 2015. More than 2,000 children have participated in the program throughout New England. In addition to Fit to Win, Sun Life and the Boston Celtics conduct the #SunLifeDunk4Diabetes campaign each November, raising money for the YMCA of Greater Boston's Healthy Habits program, which helps at-risk adults learn to better manage their health and avoid type 2 diabetes.

For more information about the Fit to Win program with Sun Life and the Boston Celtics, visit https://www.nba.com/celtics/community/fit-to-win.

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, 2024, Sun Life had total assets under management of C$1.51 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 approximately 50 million Americans access the care 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 more than 8,500 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.

About the Maine Celtics 
Originally called the Maine Red Claws, the Maine Celtics have been the NBA G League Affiliate of the Boston Celtics since the team's inaugural campaign during the 2009-10 season. The Boston Celtics purchased the franchise prior to the start of the 2019-20 season and renamed the team to the Maine Celtics in May 2021. The Celtics play their home games at the Portland Expo. During the Red Claws/Celtics' first 13 seasons in Maine, 21 players have earned GATORADE Call-Ups to the NBA, including four players to Boston. Additionally, 37 Boston Celtics have been assigned to Maine for development or rehabilitation. 14 former Maine coaches have made the jump to the NBA, including Boston Celtics Head Coach Joe Mazzulla and Boston Celtics Director of Player Personnel Austin Ainge.

Media contacts

Devon Fernald
Sun Life U.S.
Devon.Portney.Fernald@sunlife.com
781-800-3609

Evans Boston
Maine Celtics
EBoston@maineceltics.com
617-943-8776

https://www.facebook.com/SLFUnitedStates   
https://www.linkedin.com/company/sun-life-financial  

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SOURCE Sun Life U.S.

FAQ

How many children has Sun Life's Fit to Win program reached in New England?

The Fit to Win program has reached more than 2,000 children throughout New England since its inception.

When did Sun Life U.S. (SLF) partner with the Maine Celtics?

Sun Life U.S. became partners with the Maine Celtics in 2023, expanding their existing partnership with the Boston Celtics.

What activities were included in the 2025 Sun Life Fit to Win event in Portland?

The event included activities such as smoothie making, journal writing, and basketball workouts, which were tracked through 'fitness passport' stamps.

How long has Sun Life (SLF) been partnering with the Boston Celtics?

Sun Life U.S. has been an official partner of the Boston Celtics for more than a decade.