Date: 4/11/2012

Title: The State-National Checkoff Partnership in Action

PORTLAND, Ore. - A Running Lean Beef Billboard - Extreme athlete Dane Rauschenberg hardly looks like he just ran the 350-mile Oregon coast in seven days to promote beef and a healthy lifestyle -- but he did.

His adventure was powered via a promotional grant to the Oregon Beef Council from the Federation of State Beef Councils, and unique cooperative support from the Washington State Beef Commission (WSBC) and the California and Idaho beef councils. Rauschenberg began running April 2, on the California border and finished April 8, when he crossed the bridge at Astoria, Ore., and into Washington. Along the way he stopped at high schools to talk with young Oregonians, and adults, about the importance of exercise and good nutrition, like that found in lean beef.

On April 9, he spoke and ran a “recovery” mile with 230 track and consumer science students at Franklin High School in Portland. The students received “Fuel for the Finish” t-shirts, and enjoyed beef chili and beef jerky, thanks to on-and-offsite support of WSBC, Painted Hills Natural Beef and the Idaho Beef Council. Oregon and Washington beef producers joined the festivities, too.

“Reaching the kids with this message, and seeing them react, was the best part of this week,” said Oregon SBC Executive Director Will Wise, who traveled the route – by bike and car -- as Rauschenberg’s logistics man, official photographer and media relations contact.