2.13.2008 - 10:22am ET

(CSRwire) WOONSOCKET, R.I., Feb. 13 /PRNewswire/ -- Area track and field coaches, student runners, Special Olympians and representatives from area nonprofits converged at the CVS Caremark Customer Support Center last evening to celebrate the record-breaking funds raised -- $160,000, by the 2007 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K. The group of approximately 125 youths and adults joined CVS Caremark executives and staff for dinner and a presentation of checks to their respective schools and organizations. The 2007 race -- which turned out over 7,000 registered runners, walkers and wheelchair athletes, brought the tally of funds raised during CVS Caremark's eight-year sponsorship of the Downtown 5K to $800,000.

"We are pleased to be recognizing so many positives this evening as we celebrate yet another banner year for the CVS Caremark Downtown 5K and set the pace for continued success in upcoming years," said Larry Merlo, executive vice president of CVS Caremark Corporation and president of CVS/pharmacy. "Through this great race -- the largest in Rhode Island, the spirit of volunteerism comes alive, health and fitness are embraced, and nonprofit organizations get an extra financial boost to help them fulfill their important missions."

Representatives from the following nonprofit groups were honored and presented with checks last evening: All Children's Theater, Amos House, Best Buddies of Rhode Island, Meeting Street, National Braille Press, PARI (People Actively Reaching Independence), Perkins School for the Blind, The Groden Center, and The Providence Center.

Additionally, organizations providing volunteers for the race -- including schools, track clubs and nonprofit organizations, were recognized at the dinner and awarded grants. They included: Attleboro Jaguars Track Club, Bishop Hendricken High School, Chariho High School, Civil Air Patrol, East Greenwich High School, East Providence High School, Exeter/West Greenwich Sports for Kids, Johnston High School Track Club, LaSalle Academy-Girls Basketball Team, LaSalle Boys Track Club, LaSalle Girls Track Club, Lincoln High School, North Kingstown Track Club, Rhode Island Boys Track Association, Rhode Island Girls Track Association, Rhode Island Scholastic League, Rhode Island Track Guild, Sentinel Striders, Thunderbolt Track Club, Tollgate High School, Yawgoo Valley Search and Rescue Team 501 (YVSAR), A Wish Come True, American Red Cross, Autism Project of Rhode Island, Special Olympics Rhode Island and US Cerebral Palsy Athletic Association/Blaze Sports America.

To further promote health care and to emphasize the importance of physical activity for children, CVS Caremark also awarded $500 grants to ten schools that won random drawings. School teams with 25 or more children who participated in the 2007 CVS Caremark Youth Races or High School Inspirational 3K qualified for the drawings, which are earmarked to assist physical education programs. The winners of these grants included Chariho High School, Coventry Cross Country, Highlander Charter School, LaSalle Cross Country, Learning Community Charter School, Mount St. Charles Academy, Scituate High School, Tollgate High School, West Warwick Cross Country Team and Woonsocket High School.

At last evening's dinner and check presentation event, Merlo also acknowledged the children with special needs who participated in the All Kids Can Inspirational segment of the 2007 race. "The determination and joy that is visible in these special athletes as they partake in the race is incredibly uplifting. We thank them for the inspiration they provide to others and extend our gratitude to Special Olympics Rhode Island, Meeting Street and the US Cerebral Palsy Association for partnering with us to recruit these special athletes. The CVS Caremark All Kids Can Inspirational segment is an important extension of our All Kids Can program which focuses on helping children with disabilities learn, play and succeed in life," said Merlo.

The 2008 CVS Caremark Downtown 5K is scheduled to take place on September 21. Organizers have announced that a number of Olympians will be returning to Providence to compete in the race.

About the Downtown 5K

The Downtown 5K is recognized by the IRS as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization that promotes health and fitness through road racing. Proceeds from the annual race event are donated to local youth charities in Rhode Island and Southern New England.

About CVS Caremark

CVS Caremark is the largest provider of prescriptions and related healthcare services in the nation. The Company fills or manages more than 1 billion prescriptions annually. Through its unmatched breadth of service offerings, CVS Caremark is transforming the delivery of healthcare services in the U.S. The Company is uniquely positioned to effectively manage costs and improve healthcare outcomes through its 6,200 CVS/pharmacy stores; its pharmacy benefit management, mail order and specialty pharmacy division, Caremark Pharmacy Services; its retail-based health clinic subsidiary, MinuteClinic; and its online pharmacy, CVS.com. General information about CVS Caremark is available through the Investor Relations portion of the Company's website, at http://investor.cvs.com, as well as through the pressroom portion of the Company's website, at http://www.cvs.com/pressroom.

For more information please contact: