CHARLOTTE, N.C. — Eighteen first graders in northern Alabama were honored yesterday by Dole as “Healthy Heroes of the Mind” for their quick thinking that helped save the life of their teacher suffering from COVID-19 complications.
Tracy Hodges’ first-grade class at Cedar Hill Elementary School in Limestone County, Ala., west of Huntsville, was acknowledged by Dole Food Company as part of Dole Healthy Heroes, Assemble!, a nine-month empowered-living initiative that recruits and celebrates everyday heroes in four categories – mind, soul, heart and home – involved in the fight for a healthier, more heroic and better world.
When Hodges suddenly became ill and unresponsive while teaching class on January 20, it was her students’ quick response and call for help that is credited for saving her life. “When they saw me tremoring, they thought it was something I was doing on purpose, but then they realized that it was much more serious,” said Hodges who has since fully recovered. “I just thank God every day for them.”
To commemorate the students’ actions, Dole worked with Hodges to organize an April 20 in-class healthy hero recognition event timed to National Banana Day and featuring a feast of fresh fruits and vegetables and a lesson from Hodges about the importance of nutrition to the development of healthy minds and a healthy, heroic life.
“We salute these brave first-graders at Cedar Hill Elementary for displaying the selfless behavior, calm demeanor and quick thinking that defines what we at Dole call an everyday healthy hero,” said William Goldfield, Dole Food Company’s director of corporate communications. “The class’ inspiring reaction to a scary situation proves that true heroism can happen at any age.”
Each honored student received a personalized Dole Healthy Heroes certificate, Dole Banana Sticker Peel & Play Hero Book and set of DOLE® Banana Stickers inspired by Marvel Super Heroes, fruit and vegetable nutrition information, a hero’s cape and mask, and a Hasbro® Marvel Avenger Bend and Flex action figure.
The broader Dole Healthy Heroes, Assemble! initiative, running now through September, features original recipes, DOLE® Banana stickers and DOLE® Pineapple tags, digital downloads, web and social activations and other free deliverables inspired by the Super Heroes of the Marvel Universe. A new set of character-themed assets will be released at the start of each six-week mind, soul, heart and home hero recruitment campaign.
A highlight of the program are original recipes, banana stickers and pineapple tags celebrating the theatrical releases of Marvel Studios’ Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness on May 6 and Marvel Studios’ Thor: Love and Thunder on July 8.
Additional everyday heroes will be christened and announced by Dole throughout the year. Heroes 13 years or older (19 in Alabama and Nebraska and 21 in Mississippi) are encouraged to enter Dole’s Celebrate Super Heroes Contest for an opportunity to win a $1,000 scholarship that can be applied to the winners’ community or nonprofit project of choice. There is no cost to enter but some restrictions apply. For full contest rules, click here.
Details and all program elements of Dole Healthy Heroes, Assemble!, including the contest, character recipes, digital downloads, dedicated social media campaign and blogger partnerships, can be found at www.dole.com/Disney, which is being continually updated with fresh content.
For other original Dole recipes, nutritional insights, and other information, visit www.dole.com or follow Dole’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest pages.
About Dole Food Company, Inc.
Dole Food Company, part of Dole plc, is one of the world’s largest producers and marketers of high-quality fresh fruit and fresh vegetables. Dole is an industry leader in many of the products it sells, as well as in nutrition education. For more information, please visit www.dole.com.
