Chocolate milk took center stage at The Armory Track in New York City during the Refuel with Chocolate Milk Officials Hall of Fame Invitational. The two-day action-packed meet on January 10 and 11 brought together thousands of high school athletes and fans. As the presenting sponsor, American Dairy Association North East kept energy high by distributing 1,400 custom-labeled, single-serve chocolate milk bottles from Hudson Valley Fresh.
New York dairy farmers Audrey Donahoe of ATRASS Farm in Clayville, Jim Davenport of Tollgate Holsteins in Ancramdale, Skip and Holly Hardie of Walnut Ridge Dairy in Lansing, and Kelly Reynolds of Reyncrest Farms in Corfu joined in the fun, along with New York State Dairy Ambassadors Olivia Maslyn of Hemdale Farms in Seneca Castle and Justin Mesch of JLM Dairy in Collins. Donahoe addressed the crowd, highlighting dairy’s nutrition and the role chocolate milk plays in refueling athletes.

Pictured L-to-R: New York State Dairy Ambassador Olivia Maslyn, dairy farmers Kelly Reynolds and Jim Davenport, New York State Dairy Ambassador Justin Mesch, and dairy farmers Holly Hardie, Audrey Donahoe and Skip Hardie.

Before the races began, the dairy farmers and dairy ambassadors received a private tour of The Armory, which prominently displayed Refuel with Chocolate Milk banners and signage throughout, including on The Armory jumbotron.
Throughout the event, dairy farmers and dairy ambassadors cheered on competitors, held the finish line tape and handed out medals shaped like single-serve chocolate milk bottles, reinforcing the connection between local farms and athletes’ recovery routines.


Athletes lined up to take post-race photos with the Refuel With Chocolate Milk results wall that displays the runner’s name and event time. The students posted their photos on Instagram for a chance to win a gift card to The Armory’s on-site Nike store.
With more than 300,000 visitors each year during The Armory’s 110 annual events, runners of all ages continue to enjoy New York-sourced chocolate milk in their onsite café, The Refuel Zone Powered by Chocolate Milk. The café features imagery and this quote from two-time Olympian and dairy farmer Elle St. Pierre, “Runners need to refuel! Chocolate milk provides the ideal carbohydrate to protein ratio to rebuild muscle!”

Our partnership with The Armory continues to make an impact, spreading the message that chocolate milk is a champion’s recovery drink. With the meet livestreamed to over 700,000 RunnerSpace followers, the Invitational showcased how chocolate milk fuels champions and how athletes can finish strong by making smart nutrition choices that include dairy. We’re proud to support these athletes and look forward to more finish line moments and chocolate milk celebrations!