CHEERFUL GIVING

Let each one do just as he has resolved in his heart,” says the Bible, “not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” - 2 Corinthians 9:7

Dr. Kenneth Cooper is the ultimate “cheerful giver” and surely God loves him. Paying it forward is the ultimate way of giving, and Dr. Cooper has been paying it forward his entire life. As a young man, he committed his life to science and medicine determined to help his fellow man. Dr. Cooper is a happy man. He knows that heartfelt generosity brings happiness. But even today, we can’t fully comprehend the ways that he has changed the world and the lives of millions who have or will enjoy the benefits of his research and his teachings.

Dr. Cooper did more than change the world’s understanding of the medical benefits of fitness. While doing so, he created a cache of data that is unmatched in the world. For more than 40 years, The Cooper Institute has been collecting the data (diet, fitness and medical statistics) on over 115,000 participants.

That data represents a research gold mine. It holds information that could unlock scientific and medical breakthroughs that could provide the secrets to prevention of everything from Alzheimer’s disease to the common cold.

Each of us can share in the joy of changing our world. While few of us will dedicate our lives to medical research, each of us can support the legacy of Dr. Cooper and ensure that his work will continue for generations to come.

Each of us can become a “cheerful giver” while continuing to pay it forward by unlocking the secrets of healthy living.

You too can share our mission and support this important research. You too can share in the joy of giving and take pride in developing medical breakthroughs that will save lives. The annual Legacy Award Dinner recognizes leaders like Arthur Blank, Drayton McLane and David Glass who have been instrumental in producing the foundational work of The Cooper Institute.

You can support this important mission through your participation.

The Meyer Society, inspired by past chairman Fred Meyers’ dedication to The Cooper Institute, and the continued research of the Cooper Center Longitudinal Study, represents another way to contribute to this important mission.

We welcome your involvement and active participation in The Cooper Institute and encourage you to join our ranks of “cheerful givers” who experience the joy of preventing illness and improving the quality of life for all of mankind.

James W. Keyes President of Key Development, LLC

TOGETHER, WE IMPACT COMMUNITIES

The legacy we leave matters.

Arthur Blank The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Blank Family of Businesses

Arthur Blank The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation and Blank Family of Businesses

Legacy Award Recipients include:

Arthur M. Blank

Drayton McLane, Jr.

Roger Staubach

Lyda Hill

Ray L. Hunt

Peter O’ Donnell, Jr.

Fred Meyer (1927-2012)

Celebrating Vision, Leaving a Legacy

The annual Legacy Award Dinner celebrates visionary leaders who are invested in the mission of The Cooper Institute to build a healthier generation.

Arthur M. Blank, the 2018 recipient, made an incredible impact in his home state of Georgia by helping FitnessGram become the statewide youth fitness assessment in public schools. His influence and advocacy facilitated powerful strategic alliances with partners such as the Department of Public Health, Georgia Department of Education, Georgia SHAPE, and the Atlanta Falcons.

By embracing the NFL PLAY 60 FitnessGram Project, these combined efforts led to an improvement in student fitness, a reduction in childhood obesity, and improved academic performance on state exams across Georgia. He now has his sights on Montana, where he is helping with a FitnessGram feasibility study to improve youth health.

7 YEARS

OF GEORGIA FITNESSGRAM DATA SHOWS MORE STUDENTS ACHIEVING HEALTHY WEIGHT

5% DECLINE

5% DECLINE IN GEORGIA’S OVERALL CHILDHOOD OBESITY RATE

Inspiring the Future Our 2018 Well.Hero.

Award recipient, the late Orville Rogers, continues to inspire others to pursue fitness at any age. A beloved figure on the Cooper campus and member of The Meyer Society, Rogers took up running at 50 years old after reading Dr. Cooper’s book Aerobics. He went on to break 18 world records in track after the age of 90 and proved at 101 years old that exercise really is the best way to live well into the future.

Orville C. Rogers USATF World Record Runner (1917-2019)