FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
March 12, 2009
Mayor's Menu at Rococo named for Innovator of the Year
OKLAHOMA CITY (March 12, 2009) -- Rococo Restaurant and Fine Wine is the recipient of a 2009 Innovator of the Year award, an annual award in which companies are recognized by the Journal Record as making a positive impact on the state of Oklahoma.
Rococo was selected for this award because of their breakthrough with the Mayor Mick Cornett Healthy Menu, a menu implemented in June 2008 dedicated to helping Oklahoma City battle its obesity issue. The menu’s name derives from Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett for all his efforts with the This City Is Going on a Diet campaign and Web site.
Rococo owner/chef Bruce Rinehart decided to develop the menu based on the lack of high-quality healthy items offered in restaurants across the city.
“We knew that Mayor Cornett’s challenge to the city was of great necessity and believed people needed good-tasting healthy food to help the Mayor’s program to succeed. We decided to help the initiative by offering healthy food that people are going to want to order,” said Rinehart. “We are just doing our part in helping Oklahoma City become a healthier and more enjoyable place to live.”
The awards ceremony will be held March 12, 2009 at the Renaissance Tulsa Hotel and Convention Center at 6:00 p.m. The keynote speaker for the event will be Dr. Jay Martin, 2008 Innovator of the Year winner.
For more information on Rococo Restaurant and Fine Wine visit their Web site at www.rococo-restaurant.com or call 405-528-2824.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 31, 2008
Mayor’s diet initiative tops 250,000 pounds
Oklahoma City (October 31) -- Mayor Cornett reported on reaching the 250,000-pound milestone for the This City is Going on a Diet initiative from the Will Rogers Air National Guard Base. The news conference was conducted from the base flight line between two KC-135 Stratotanker airplanes provided by the 137th Air Refueling Wing of the Oklahoma Air National Guard. The two planes represent the 250,000-pound weight loss.
The 137th Air Refueling Wing flies KC-135s which provides the core aerial refueling capability for the United States Air Force. The Oklahoma Air National Guard supports the United States Air Force’s policy on maintaining a healthy lifestyle and staying fit to fight. Full time airmen are provided three hours per week to work out.
The “This City is Going on a Diet” campaign was launched on New Year’s Eve by Mayor Cornett to challenge citizens to lose a collective one million pounds. The site – www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com - allows participants to confidentially track their weight loss and calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a simple method for estimating body fat and determining a goal weight.
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 30, 2008
Rococo adds new healthy options to winter menu as Mayor's weight loss campaign hits milestone
OKLAHOMA CITY (Oct. 30, 2008) -- As Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett prepares to announce his city has collectively lost 250,000 pounds, Rococo Restaurant & Fine Wine is launching its “Mayor Mick Cornett’s Winter Menu,” on Oct. 30 at noon. The menu will feature a selection of healthy food choices that complement the mayor’s This City is Going on a Diet campaign and Mayor Cornett will be at the restaurant sampling the new healthy items.
This summer, Rococo became the first locally-owned restaurant to offer both lunch and dinner menus featuring several healthy options that support the mayor’s nationally famous campaign encouraging Oklahoma City residents to lose weight. Rococo owner, Bruce Rinehart, hopes this new menu will help further the effort of offering Oklahoma City residents a healthier lifestyle.
“At Rococo, we thoroughly agree with Mayor Cornett’s challenge to be healthier. We believe a great deal of that starts with the food we choose to eat,” Rinehart said. “It brings credibility to any restaurant featuring a healthy menu to know that someone as dedicated to healthy living as Mayor Cornett chooses not only to endorse our new menu but to dine from it as well.”
The healthy winter menu will feature soups, salads, appetizers and hearty entree selections available for lunch or dinner. Famous for its variety of savory bite-size appetizers known as “cookies,” Rococo will offer Mushroom Duxelles Cookies as an option for those counting their calories. The new menu will also showcase entrees including a New York strip and baked stuffed salmon. Lunch entrees range from $7.50 to $15.75 and are a great option for the lunch crowd looking for healthy options.
“The community has responded in such a positive way to this initiative. Collectively, the Web site is showing numbers that registered users are losing a combined 825 lbs. a day,” Mayor Cornett said. “I believe this new winter menu will help shed more light on the fact that staying healthy starts with a healthy diet. Rococo is an example of what I’d like to see all restaurants do – giving their diners more choices to maintain a healthy diet.”
The This City is Going on a Diet campaign was created by Mayor Cornett to challenge citizens to lose a collective one million pounds. The Web site, www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com, allows participants to confidentially track their weight loss and calculate their Body Mass Index, which is a simple method for estimating body fat and determining a goal weight.
When the mayor announced the This City is Going on a Diet campaign, he said, “I’ve battled weight loss through the years, so I know how tough it is, particularly if you are to lose weight alone. We have to work together as a city to change the way we eat and to exercise more. If we are successful, we will look better, feel better, improve our quality of life and live longer.”
Media Contacts
Brenda Jones, APR, for Rococo’s
516-9686
Brenda@JonesPRInc.com
Kristy Yager, for City of Oklahoma City
297-2550
Kristy.yager@okc.gov
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
July 11, 2008
Mayor’s diet initiative tops 100,000 pounds
Oklahoma City residents are dropping weight and feeling great. Dieters, 18,847 of them, passed the 100,000-pound mark today on the Mayor’s weight loss Web site, www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com.
“People are changing their behavior and reporting that this program is helping them to improve their lives. Once they start losing weight they feel better about themselves, have more energy and become healthier,” said Mayor Cornett.
Passing the 100,000-pound milestone also means free low fat tacos, compliments of Taco Bell. The restaurant chain is planning a free fresco taco day in Oklahoma City to celebrate the City’s success. Details will be announced in the coming days.
“While portion control is an important part of losing weight, having a consistent exercise routine is also essential to success,” said Mayor Cornett. “Mornings and evenings are the perfect time to walk, bike or jog around your neighborhood or park. I have been playing more tennis to help keep my weight off and I encourage our citizens to use our public tennis courts and golf courses.”
The “This City is Going on a Diet” campaign was created by Cornett to challenge citizens to lose a collective one million pounds.
The Web site was launched on December 31, 2007 to encourage residents to become healthier by losing weight. This site allows participants to confidentially track their weight loss and calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a simple method for estimating body fat and determining a goal weight.
The homepage features a live counter to indicate the cumulative number of pounds the Web site’s participants have lost. Corporations, civic groups and individuals are all encouraged to register at www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.
For More Information Contact:
David Holt – 297-3073
Kristy Yager – 297-2550
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
February 20, 2008
INTEGRIS Health Presents a Public Event
with Celebrity Chef George Stella
March is National Nutrition Month
George Stella is a celebrity chef on the Food Network. His weekly television series, “Low Carb and Loving It,” is a crowd favorite and he is also the author of two best selling cookbooks. But Stella hasn’t always enjoyed such success.
At 40, he was classified as morbidly obese, tipping the scales at 470 pounds. His condition was not only threatening his career, but also his life. He was experiencing serious heart problems and was oftentimes confined to a wheelchair. Stella’s doctor warned him that if he didn’t lose weight, he would die.
Stella’s transformation began in October 1999. After nearly a quarter-century of being overweight, he began following a low carbohydrate diet. During the next few years, he dropped an amazing 265 pounds and greatly improved his health. His family’s too. In all they have collectively lost 560 pounds.
Stella’s story has been written about in many magazines and newspapers and has been featured on national television shows such as ABC’s The View, CBS’s 48 Hours, Entertainment Tonight and The Insider. He hopes to inspire others to change their eating habits and begin living a life free of extra pounds and weight-related health problems.
INTEGRIS Health is sponsoring a community event with Chef George Stella called “Family, Friends, Food and Fun!” It is in response to the “Mayor’s Million” call to action, encouraging Oklahoma City residents to lose weight and start living healthier lifestyles.
DATE: Monday, March 3
TIME: 6 p.m.
PLACE: Omniplex/Science Museum of Oklahoma
2100 N.E. 52 Street
The event will be free and open to the public and will consist of cooking demonstrations using children in the audience as “Sous Chefs.” Door prizes will be given away and Stella will be available for book signings and autographs after the show.
Participants will also be able to view the exhibits on the science floor of the Omniplex at no charge, with the exception of the popular “Our Body” exhibit, which will be closed.
Space is limited so please call the INTEGRIS HealthLine at (405) 951-2277 to reserve your seat.
For more information, contact:
Brooke Cayot, INTEGRIS Media Relations
(405) 951-4821/(405) 629-3204 pager
brooke.cayot@integris-health.com
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Mayor Cornett: “This city is going on a diet”
Oklahoma City Mayor Mick Cornett has an ambitious New Year’s resolution for Oklahoma City. He is asking residents to collectively lose one million pounds in an effort to create a healthier City. An interactive website has been created to track the city’s weight-loss progress.
“As someone who has addressed weight-loss issues my entire life, I know how difficult it can be,” said Mayor Cornett. “But we can do it. We need to pull together as a community to lose weight, exercise more often, and eat nutritiously. Obesity is an epidemic in Oklahoma, and the problem is only getting worse. It’s time to end our sedentary, fast food lifestyle.”
At the heart of the program is a website that is being launched on New Year’s Eve: www.thiscityisgoingonadiet.com. The website is designed as a one-stop resource guide for people intending to lose weight.
The interactive Web site allows participants to confidentially track their weight loss progress, and calculate their Body Mass Index (BMI), which is a simple method for estimating body fat. The site also features helpful information about nutrition, exercise and how to successfully set weight loss goals. The homepage will feature a live counter to indicate the cumulative number of pounds the website’s participants have lost. Corporations, civic groups and individuals are all encouraged to register.
“Weight loss works best when people are surrounded by friends, family and coworkers who help them reach their goals,” said Cornett. “By changing our lifestyle we can become a healthier, more active city and reduce our chances of developing cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea and osteoarthritis.”
According to the Trust for America’s Health, Oklahoma City has the ninth highest rate of adult obesity in the nation and the 17th highest rate of obesity for children ages 10 to 17.
“This city is going on a diet,” said Cornett. “Putting an entire city on a diet may seem a little extreme but we have to get people’s attention. We have to promote a healthier lifestyle. This is a serious public health problem that’s not going to go away unless we act.”
For More Information Contact:
David Holt – 297-3073
Kristy Yager – 297-2550
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