Martina McBride and Cal Ripken, Jr. Partner with Cheerios® to Inspire Americans To Take Care of Their Hearts

People Committed to Heart Health Can Win Exclusive Access to McBride and Ripken

MINNEAPOLIS--(EON: Enhanced Online News)--What do Martina McBride and Cal Ripken, Jr. have in common? Besides being superstars, they both believe in living a heart healthy lifestyle today so they can continue to do all the things they love to do tomorrow. In partnership with Cheerios, McBride and Ripken are recognizing Americans who show the same commitment with the Cheerios “Do What You Love” Contest. Winners will have the chance of a lifetime to tour McBride’s Nashville recording studio or to play catch with Ripken.

“Making smart, heart healthy lifestyle choices is key, which is why I am excited to team up with Cheerios to award people who put their hearts first.”

“Heart disease is the number one killer of women in America, but far too few of us understand how our everyday habits affect our heart health,” said country-music superstar, Martina McBride. “Making smart, heart healthy lifestyle choices is key, which is why I am excited to team up with Cheerios to award people who put their hearts first.”

As a professional athlete, Ripken understands the importance of heart health, too. “I’ve been fortunate to do what I love my entire life, and I take care of myself now more than ever,” said Ripken. “I’ve had cholesterol screenings come back a bit high, so I relate to the issue of heart health on a personal level and take care of myself to ensure I can do what I love for years to come. That’s why I’m so thrilled to partner with Cheerios on the ‘Do What You Love’ Contest.”

Two lucky Americans will receive prizes from McBride, Ripken and Cheerios that will make their hearts skip a beat.

One music lover will tour the Country Music Hall of Fame^® and Museum with McBride, hang out with her in her recording studio – the world famous Blackbird Studio in Nashville, Tenn. – and get VIP tickets to one of her upcoming concerts.

One lucky baseball enthusiast will have the chance to play catch with Ripken and to tour the Ripken Youth Baseball Academy with the “Iron Man” of baseball himself. In addition, the winner will throw out the first pitch at the Cal Ripken World Series and sit in Ripken’s reserved seats at a professional Baltimore baseball game.

“Martina McBride and Cal Ripken, Jr. value the importance of heart health so they can continue to do what they love,” said Jeff Hingher, brand marketing manager for Cheerios. “Through partnering with them on this contest, we hope to inspire Americans to become better caretakers of their hearts so they too can do more of what they love each day.”

For a chance to win exclusive access to McBride and Ripken, Americans must submit a 150-250 word original story and photo. The story and photo must showcase what they love to do and how they take care of themselves so they can continue to do it.

The Cheerios “Do What You Love” Contest opens today and runs through July 23 at www.Cheerios.com/love. Winners will be notified the week of August 10.

Enjoying Cheerios is an easy way to help maintain a healthy heart because the cereal is made with 100 percent whole grain oats which can help lower cholesterol. To learn more about Cheerios and the “Do What You Love” Contest, please visit www.cheerios.com/Love/DoWhatYouLoveContestRules.aspx.

About Cheerios

Cheerios, America's No. 1 cereal, debuted in 1941 as Cheerioats. The nation's first ready-to-eat oat cereal has since become one of the most trusted and recognized brands in America. In fact, one of every eight boxes of cereal sold in America is a box of Cheerios. General Mills' popular franchise includes Cheerios, Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, Apple Cinnamon Cheerios, MultiGrain Cheerios, Berry Burst Cheerios, Fruity Cheerios, Cheerios Crunch, Yogurt Burst Cheerios, Banana Nut Cheerios and Chocolate Cheerios. For more information, go to www.cheerios.com.

About General Mills

One of the world's leading food companies, General Mills operates in over 100 countries and markets more than 100 consumer brands, including Cheerios, Häagen-Dazs, Nature Valley, Betty Crocker, Pillsbury, Green Giant, Old El Paso, Progresso, Cascadian Farm, Muir Glen and more. Headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota, U.S.A., General Mills had fiscal 2009 global net sales of US$15.9 billion, including the company’s $1.2 billion proportionate share of joint venture net sales. Visit www.generalmills.com.