For the past five years, UBFIT has taken the local and international fitness and wellness communities by storm as one of The Bahamas’ premier wellness and community engagement initiatives.

Oaktree Medical Center remains UBFIT’s title sponsor, having entered a $30,000 sponsorship commitment in 2020 for three years. Oaktree Medical Center's Medical Director Dr. Don D. Deveaux expressed his continued commitment to the community builder and health initiative. "At Oaktree Medical Center, we encourage our patients to maintain healthy lifestyles as well as tangibly demonstrate that we are committed to building community,” said Dr. Deveaux. “We believe in the work of University of The Bahamas and UBFIT and we celebrate with the organizers and participants on their fifth-year race milestone.

Several new corporate sponsors have joined the UBFIT family, enabling the fitness fundraiser to go the distance in transforming the country’s fitness and wellness landscape for the 2022 installment and years to come; while simultaneously positively impacting the lives of our students who are able to directly benefit from funds raised.

Doctors Hospital is a Platinum sponsor this year, joining a star-studded roster of corporate sponsors for the staple UB event that expects to net some 500 plus participants. The UBFIT Fun Run Walk Bike Skate 5K, 10K, and newly implemented 15K race will be held from Friday, 29th April to Sunday, 1st May at UB’s Oakes Field Campus and around the world.

“Our Doctors Hospital Health System 'Growing Our Own' initiative requires a clear and close partnership between UB and DHHS,” said Doctors Hospital President and CEO Dr. Charles Diggiss. “Participating as a platinum sponsor in UBFIT is one of many ways that DHHS will continue to demonstrate its commitment to the success of UB.”

UBFIT Co-chair Ms. Inga Bostwick said it is largely thanks to corporate partners like Doctors Hospital and Oaktree Medical Centre that UBFIT has sustained its success since inception. To date, UBFIT has raised more than $235,000 for the University's Annual Fund; scholarships for first-generation students; special needs enhancements, and COVID-19 technology relief for students in need of laptops.

"We are delighted to celebrate UBFIT's fifth anniversary with our university family, friends and corporate Bahamas,” said Ms. Bostwick. “With community support, we have maintained and expanded this fitness fundraiser which encourages healthy lifestyles through movement. We thank our title sponsor Oaktree, our new Platinum sponsor Doctors Hospital Health System and all corporate sponsors for supporting our students."

UBFIT 2022 has garnered the support of corporate Bahamas once again with additional new and returning sponsors - Commonwealth Bank, JS Johnson, Lombard Odier, WalkIn Clinic, Bahamas First, Bahama Health/Family Guardian, AML Foods, Campbell Shipping, UB Alumni Association, Caribbean Bottling Company, Bowflex Barbie, BWA Limited and Ni Ltd. – all demonstrating their commitment to our national tertiary institution.

This year’s race will take on a hybrid model with both face-to-face and virtual participation with the recent approvals granted from the Ministry of Health and the reduced restrictions for outdoor events. Last year, due to the COVID pandemic, we were forced to re-envision our race format. Pivoting to a virtual race allowed us to attract participation from avid racers and UB supporters the world over. Virtual UBFIT participants will run, walk, bike, skate or push safely on their own completing either the 5K (3.1 miles), 10K (6.2 miles), or 15K (9.3). For those participating in the face-to-face events, a new route has been implemented that will see participants leave UB’s Oakes Field campus heading north on Nassau Street; west on West Bay Street, before turning around at the halfway points for the 5K, 10K, and 15K and returning to University of The Bahamas.

Interested persons can register online or pay at UB’s Chapter One Bookstore at University Drive in New Providence, and UB-North’s Business Office, #9 Trehl Plaza, West Atlantic Drive, in Freeport, Grand Bahama. Adult registration is $35, while registration for UB students is $25. Race registrant bags can be collected the week of April 25th-28th at those two locations. Family Island or international participants will receive their packages via mail or by Mailboat.

UBFIT has emerged as one of UB’s staple community building and fundraising initiatives. In its inaugural year, more than 500 people participated, consequently contributing to UB’s Annual Fund and supporting the goal of increased mobility for students with special needs. The event evolved out of the University’s annual Health and Safety Week, held under the theme “Fit. Healthy. Safe.”