Team Rio

Nashville, Tenn.  January 5, 2009... Diamond Rio’s Jimmy Olander and Marty Roe will host this  year’s Team Rio Running and Walking for Big Brothers Big Sisters Kick-Off meeting this Saturday, January 9 at  Battleground Academy in Franklin, Tenn. This will be the sixth year Team Rio has taken part in the Country Music Marathon and Half Marathon to raise money and awareness for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee. This informative session will provide detailed information on the training schedule, a question and answer session and an introduction to the coaches, band members and mission of  BBBS.

Training for Team Rio kicks off in January. If you need the support of a team or that extra push to make the commitment to reach your personal goal  of completing a half or full marathon, Team Rio provides the tools you need to  have a positive and successful experience. Team Rio  provides training schedules for the full and half marathon on a weekly basis,  specialty clinics, group support and discounts to local retailers to assist in  training.  Team members train during the week individually and meet for  optional group runs on Saturday mornings. Team Members are required to raise a  minimum of $250.00 in pledges. For more information on how you can get  involved, visit www.teamrio.org.

Runners nationwide have participated  in the annual team adding to the over $390,000 that has been raised in the team’s existence. “The great thing about our team is you can train from anywhere in the country,” says Celebrity Running Captain Jimmy Olander. “We’ve had runners join us from as far as California and D.C.  They train in their hometown and run with their fellow Team Rio members on the day of the marathon.  We start off with a sixteen week program so that all fitness levels start at a comfortable pace.” This year’s marathon will take place on April 24.

Team Rio and Big  Brothers Big Sisters Kick Off Rally details:
Saturday, January 9, 2010  
10am CST
Battleground Academy, Cherry Sports Center
336 Ernest Rice  Lane
Franklin, TN  37069
www.teamrio.org for more  information
 
About Team Rio:
Team Rio was founded in  the winter of 2004 by Diamond Rio's guitarist, Jimmy Olander and Modern  Management's Renee Behrman-Greiman. Diamond Rio, long-time National Ambassadors for Big Brothers Big Sisters and Behrman-Greiman, a Big Sister and  Board Member with the agency allocated BBBS as the team's benefactor.   Neither of them remember 100% committing to running the Country Music  Marathon and Half Marathon in 2005, however they do remember crossing the  finish line for the first time with twenty-five committed team members, an  amazing cheering section and raising over $24,000.00 for Big Brothers Big  Sisters of Middle Tennessee.  In the past five years over $390,0000 has  been raised for the Middle Tennessee agency. Team Rio Running/Walking for Big  Brothers Big Sisters has grown to over 150 runners and walkers and added Team  Rio Kids with over 80 kid participants in the kid’s marathon.  Team Rio  is celebrating its sixth anniversary.

About Team Rio Kids:   
In addition to raising funds and awareness for the agency,  a main goal of Team Rio Running and Walking for Big Brothers Big Sisters is to  promote health and fitness to local kids. The youth team, TEAM RIO KIDS,  partners with local schools to teach and encourage a healthier lifestyle and  assist the kids with their training for the Kids Marathon. Team Rio Kids will  train within their respective schools or with their parents to complete 25.2  miles prior to April 23 when they will complete the last mile of the actual  course and cross the official Country Music Marathon finish line. SGT Ken,  Team Rio Kids Coach, provides training schedules and health tips in his weekly  email newsletters, “SGT Ken Says.”
 
About Diamond  Rio:
Diamond Rio unveiled their 11th album The Reason on  Word Records on Sept. 22.  The autobiography “Beautiful Mess” from Thomas  Nelson coincided with the album release. Formed in 1984, Diamond Rio features  lead singer Marty Roe, guitarist Jimmy Olander, drummer Brian Prout,  keyboardist Dan Truman, bassist/harmony Dana Williams and Gene Johnson on  mandolin/harmony. The band signed with Arista in 1988 and embarked on one of  the most successful careers in country music. The band has sold over 10  million albums earning three platinum and five gold records and won the  Country Music Association’s Vocal Group of the Year award four times as well  as netting two Academy of Country Music Awards in the top Vocal Group of the  Year category and thirteen GRAMMY ® nominations. When they debuted in 1991  with the hit “Meet in the Middle,” Diamond Rio became the first group in the  history of country music to have a debut single reach No. 1. They continued to  place 32 more singles on the Billboard chart, including “How Your Love Makes  Me Feel,” “Norma Jean Riley,” “Beautiful Mess” and “Love a Little Stronger.”  Their previous recording, A Diamond Rio Christmas: The Star Still  Shines, a 2007 holiday album marked their debut with Word Records.  
 
About Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle  Tennessee:
Big Brothers Big Sisters improves children’s chances  for succeeding in school, behaving nonviolently, avoiding drugs and alcohol,  and breaking negative cycles. Located in Nashville and providing services to  Davidson County and the contiguous counties, Big Brothers Big Sisters of Middle Tennessee served 2,541 children in 2009.
 
The  social profit agency depends on financial investments to help recruit  volunteers and reach more children. Funding is used to conduct background  checks on volunteers to ensure child safety, and provide ongoing support for  children, families and volunteers to build and sustain long-lasting  relationships. The average annual cost per child is $1,000.
 
You  can change how children grow up in Middle Tennessee by going to  www.mentorakid.org or calling (615) 329-9191.