Road to Gold Paved with Hemp Seeds? Local Athlete Leanna MacLean Boosted by Healthy Sponsorship

June 25, 2009 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE HALIFAX – Can hemp seeds, flax, oats and Callebaut chocolate help a local track and field star reach the Olympic podium? Leanna MacLean of Halifax believes firmly that they can, as she becomes one of two future Olympians who will be powered this year with a Planet Organic Markets Cosmic Cookie Sponsorship. Leanna will receive $400 worth of organic groceries each month for the next year, which will help fuel her Olympic dreams and take her another step closer to the podium. This is the third year for the Planet Organic Markets Cosmic Cookie Sponsorship. Co-founder Diane Shaskin says she is proud to help Canada’s athletes reach their goals. “What could be more important than providing healthy, nutritious food for our athletes?” she said. “We were very impressed with Leanna’s dedication, accomplishments and her obvious talent – that’s why we chose to support her in her goals.” The other sponsorship goes to gymnast Nathan Gafuik of Calgary. What’s the cookie connection? The original Cosmic Cookie athlete was 2004 Olympic gold medal cyclist Lori-Ann Muenzer of Edmonton, who said the cookies were the one treat she allowed herself. Leanna, 27, must not only train hard, she must be equally dedicated at maintaining the level of support she needs to stay on the road to the Olympics. “Funding is always the most difficult part of being a Canadian track and field athlete,” Leanna said. “Elite athletics requires 24-hours a day and seven days a week of attention. We have to ensure we have enough funding to keep going so we can train and travel to competitions.” “The Planet Organic sponsorship will be an incredible support to me as I step up my training on the road to the 2012 Olympics.” Leanna will shop for her groceries at the Planet Organic Market in Halifax. She is the first athlete from Nova Scotia chosen for this sponsorship. Leanna, who graduated from Dalhousie University in 2006 as a mechanical engineer, has already accomplished a great deal in her athletic career. She is currently ranked third in Canada over 800m and is among the top 30 800m runners on the continent. In 2008, she won the bronze medal at the Canadian Nationals and Olympic Trials in 2005, and she won the gold medal for Nova Scotia at the Canada Games. Her personal best time of 2:04.19 is the provincial record over 800m in Nova Scotia. She also believes strongly in community involvement and among her volunteer work is the Staying Atlantic Initiative. She, and three of her teammates, travel to schools in the region to motivate children to participate in sport, dream big and develop Atlantic Canadian pride. Her goal is to win the 800m at the Canadian Championships this summer and to qualify for the upcoming World Championships in Berlin this August. The Cosmic Cookie is a Planet Organic Markets original recipe. A hot seller that’s been endorsed by both amateur and professional athletes – “we can’t bake them fast enough” – the cookies sell by the thousands each week in stores across the country. The recipe is available in the Planet Organic Cookbook – available through www.planetorganic.ca - 30 - Media contacts: Diane Shaskin / Co-Founder Planet Organic Markets Phone: 250-727-0867 dshaskin@planetorganic.ca INTERVIEW WITH LEANNA MACLEAN: PLANET ORGANIC COSMIC COOKIE ATHLETE What does the Planet Organic sponsorship mean to you, and how will it help you? “Being a track and field athlete has been one of the greatest blessings of my life. However, since it's primarily an amateur athletic sport, it has been a constant financial struggle. This sponsorship from Planet Organic will help to relieve some of my financial worries and will also allow me to maintain a vitamin and nutrient dense diet that will build the strong muscles and bones required to compete with the top athletes in the world.” When are your next competitions? “The IAAF World Championships in athletics are being held in Berlin, Germany from August 15 to 23rd. The Canadian Team trials are being held this weekend (June 26 to 28) in Toronto at the National Championships. The top three finishers at this meet will be given until the 26th of July to achieve the qualifying standard of 2:00.00, just 4 seconds off my season’s best time. The Jeux de la Francophonie Games, an international competition for French- speaking countries, will be held in September in Beirut, Lebanon. I have currently achieved the qualifying standard for this national team and a top three finish at Nationals will secure my position on the team.” What are your favorite foods to shop for at Planet Organic? “Without a doubt, the Cosmic Power Cookies are my favorite food at Planet Organic! They're a healthy treat that taste great and are loaded with the proper nutrients and protein to make a great post-workout snack. In addition, Planet Organic has one of the best selections of organic fruits, vegetables and meat in the city. It is important for athletes to avoid eating harmful pesticides if they are to achieve their best performance. Furthermore, shopping at Planet Organic allows me to be socially responsible as I can choose fair trade products and I also feel safe in choosing from their wide range of vitamin and protein supplements.”