Miami Dolphins players, cheerleaders and IndyCar driver joined forces with the United Way of Broward and Miami-Dade Counties for the 11th Annual Hometown Huddle this afternoon at the team’s training facility in Davie. This year’s local Hometown Huddle focused on the prevention of obesity among special needs children as part of NFL PLAY 60 Program, the league’s youth health and fitness campaign.  About 200 children and young adults with disabilities between the ages of five and 22 from both counties joined Miami Dolphins cheerleaders, players and United Way volunteers. Dolphins’ players manned a variety of fitness stations, and children and their families got the chance to enjoy nutritious snacks, get a workout, and learn about the importance of physical fitness. The Miami Dolphins Foundation presented the United Way with a $5,000 grant to purchase sports game and team partner Publix supplied healthy snacks for all of the participants.

“We’re here to help bring the awareness to childhood obesity and the need to be out and play and have fun every day,” said Jennifer O’Flannery Anderson, President & CEO United Way of Broward County. “It is also a great opportunity to allow them to be active, teach them good lifestyle choices, and to learn about healthy eating and good decisions and education with the help of players from the Miami Dolphins.”

“It’s always great to help out the local kids in our community,” added punter Brandon Fields. “I have a cousin who’s mentally disabled, so growing up working with her and being around her, I understand a lot of things that these kids are going through. Just the fact that we can be out here spending some time with them means a lot to them, and it may brighten up their day, or maybe their whole week.”

Fields was joined at the event by Dolphins cheerleaders, Team Mascot TD and teammates, including linebacker Akin Ayodele, defensive end Ryan Baker, wide receiver Greg Camarillo, running back Patrick Cobbs, tight end Joey Haynos and defensive tackle Paul Soliai along with IndyCar Racer Ryan Hunter-Reay.

“These are the people that support us week in and week out, and this is our opportunity to support them back,” said wide receiver Greg Camarillo. “It kind of puts things in perspective. We come on this field and we practice, and we kind of take for granted all the opportunities we have and forget to have fun, and these kids are out here having the time of their life.”

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