Fit To Inspire Women's Wellness Community Organizes Worldwide Walks For Operation Smile

    WASHINGTON, DC, December 06, 2014 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The original idea was as simple as they get: Bring women together to walk during the holiday season. Why? To highlight the importance of fitness, well-being and taking time for oneself before the holiday onslaught. Last year, several hundred women turned out in San Francisco, Philadelphia, New York, Washington DC and a host of other cities in the United States for the Fit to Inspire "Holiday Waddles". The buzz of the event was so huge that this year the Waddles are going global!

On December 6th and 7th, women in the United States, Canada, Europe, Dubai and Singapore will participate in the Waddles walking event. Additionally, Fit to Inspire has teamed up with Operation Smile, the international medical charity that provides free surgeries for children born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. Participants have the option to fundraise on behalf of Operation Smile as part of the Waddle event.

"Our Holiday Waddles are designed to get women of all ages moving during a stressful time of the year when we tend to think about everything but our own well-being," comments Fit to Inspire CEO Rebeca Plantier. "Who can enjoy the holidays if you're tired and stressed from lack of good nutrition, proper sleep and exercise? We want to highlight the need to keep something for ourselves, even - and especially - when we are running the world for others."

"We are thrilled to partner with Operation Smile to give our Holiday Waddles even more meaning and give back to an amazing organization that helps children in need around the world. To us, giving back is an essential element of well-being and it makes the holiday spirit feel even stronger," Plantier added.

"We are so grateful that Fit to Inspire recognizes how important a smile is to our overall health and well-being. It is very exciting that the Holiday Waddles will benefit our charity, helping us to give more children life-changing surgeries at this most giving time of the year," said Lisa Jardanhazy, Vice President, Corporate and Public Relations, at Operation Smile.

The Holiday Waddles will take place December 6th and 7th in the United States, Canada, the UK, France, Belgium, Cyprus, Dubai and Singapore. Sponsored in part by Athleta, the women's athletic apparel brand, and Somersault Snacks, maker of healthy snack foods, women can register for the Waddles directly on http://www.fittoinspire.com. For those who cannot attend a Waddle but would like to help needy children around the world served by Operation Smile, please visit http://www.operationsmile.org/fittoinspire to make an on-line donation.

About Fit to Inspire

Fit to Inspire is an online and offline community inspiring women to greater fitness and well-being regardless of their age, shape, size or current fitness level. Regular Fit to Inspire features include contributions from fitness instructors, celebrity chefs, bloggers, nutritionists, and thousands of women in our online community.

Fit to Inspire holds offline fitness-related events around the world, culminating in the annual "Holiday Waddles", a grass-roots walking event for women aimed at keeping well-being front of mind during the holiday season, while raising funds for non-profit medical charity Operation Smile, who help improve the health and lives of thousands of children worldwide. Please visit http://www.fittoinspire.com.

For more information about Fit to Inspire, please contact Rebeca Plantier on [email protected] or +1 202 910 7315.

About Operation Smile

Operation Smile is an international medical charity with a presence in more than 60 countries, whose global network of thousands of credentialed medical volunteers from more than 80 countries is dedicated to helping improve the health and lives of children. Since its founding in 1982, Operation Smile has provided more than 220,000 free surgical procedures for children and young adults born with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities. To build long-term sufficiency in resource poor environments, Operation Smile trains doctors and local medical professionals in its partner countries so they are empowered to treat their local communities. Operation Smile also donates medical equipment, supplies and provides year-round medical treatment through its worldwide centers.

Media contact: Sabrina Zimring, Operation Smile Global Headquarters Director of Public Relations +1 757-338-7731 | [email protected]

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