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New online community addresses obesity crisis and other social issues
Added: (Fri Feb 01 2008)
A new web site offers real synergies between sports, health and education and holds the promise of achievable health outcomes as part of a balanced lifestyle.
Launched two weeks before Christmas, www.DoubleDrummer.com is a social networking site for active people. In time it aims to become a portal for all things sport - a place where people who want to start, re-start (or continue) an active lifestyle can meet. It’s squarely aimed at helping Australians to regain an interest in sports participation and keep healthy and active over time.
Double Drummer will help overcome social problems such as poor health (heart disease, obesity, diabetes, etc.), an ageing population (keeping people active throughout their lives) and the social disconnect caused by people too busy or just disinclined to meet (e.g.) in bars or through dating sites, but who have the confidence and desire to connect through playing sport.
Double Drummer is also committed to helping disadvantaged or developing communities through sport and by supporting non-profit organisations and grass roots initiatives. Several former elite athletes have agreed to be Ambassadors for Double Drummer in return for the support of their sport or health-related charities. The current Ambassadors and their preferred charities are:
Elka Graham – Olympic swimmer
Preferred charity: Australian Volunteers International PNG Swim for Safety Program
Guy Leech – Ironman
Preferred Charity: The Heart Research Institute
Steven Bradbury – Olympic skater (gold medallist)
Preferred Charity: Clubs Smile for a Child
Eric Bailey – NBA & NBL basketball player
Preferred Charity: Red Frogs Schools Program
Double Drummer members will be asked to support these and other relevant charitable organisations with either direct financial contributions or by donating their time (e.g. coaches happy to give one day a month) or sporting equipment, which we’ll ensure gets to an organisation who can use it to promote healthy lifestyles or help disadvantaged kids.
Founder, Anna Cosio said: “My business partner and I have always strived to make all facets of our business both financially sustainable and also dedicated to supporting community. Our umbrella company, Vida Marketing, (www.vida.com.au) conducts a great deal of pro bono work for non-profit organisations and also has clients such as The Heart Research Institute and St Vincent's & The Mater Hospitals in Sydney, for whom we conduct regular fundraising campaigns.
“We like to enjoy our work and thus revolve our business activities around our passions... one of which is sport. Double Drummer is an extension of our current activities and we believe it can become a thriving community and Australia’s most comprehensive sport and activity reference point. We hope members of this community will be able to quickly find whomever and whatever they need to keep active and will encourage others to join them.”
The web site is aimed at sport participants - not just spectators. It will enable active Aussies all over the country to search for any like-minded active person, whether it be (e.g.) a B grade standard, female tennis player aged 30-45 years old, living in a certain suburb who’s available for social hits on a Monday night; or a male golfer with a 12 handicap in his late 20s, visiting Australia on business or holiday, keen to join a competitive four on a weekly basis during his stay.
The Founders believe they will quickly build an online community of tens of thousands of active Australians and those organisations who want to communicate with them. Everyone involved in sport - players, coaches, tournament organisers, etc. – can register with Double Drummer now. For sport stores, clubs, trainers and others like physiotherapists, naturopaths, etc. who provide services to active people, Double Drummer represents an opportunity to access thousands of prospective customers looking to buy their products and services right away.
Having launched in Australia, Double Drummer is projecting a membership of 20,000 Australian sport participants primarily aged 30-55 within the first 12 months and 200,000 in total after five years from that country alone. However the Founders also expect to go global in Year 2, greatly expanding these figures.
For more details or to join now, go to: www.doubledrummer.com