HALLMARK CHANNEL'S 'KITTEN SUMMER GAMES' LET THE GAMES BEGIN FRIDAY, AUGUST 5!

Hallmark Channel, the official home of kitten sports, presents "Kitten Summer Games," premiering Friday, August 5. The inaugural event is hosted by Beth Stern with announcers Mary Carillo and David Frei and features the nation's most athletic and adoptable kittens competing in a series of sporting events. Cat-letes will compete in competitions including kitten gymnastics with balance beam, uneven bars, rings and floor exercises, de-CAT-hlon with track and field, pole vault, and high jump, as well as volleyball, tennis and wrestling. Who will bring home a gold, silver or bronze medal?

Athletes and celebrities will cheer on the kittens as they go for gold, including NFL football pro Rob Gronkowski, Olympic medalist and World Cup champion Brandi Chastain, professional snowboarder and Olympic medalist Lindsey Jacobellis and more to come.

Hallmark Channel continues its partnership with North Shore Animal League America and Last Hope Animal Rescue and Rehabilitation for "Kitten Summer Games." All 90 kittens featured in "Kitten Summer Games" have been adopted into loving homes. The network also partners with North Shore Animal League America to host nationwide adoption drives the weekend prior to the premiere, with the goal of dramatically increasing pet adoptions. This year alone, the partnership has resulted in over 1,000 feline adoptions. "Kitten Summer Games" is part of Hallmark Channel's evergreen corporate initiative, "Pet Project," a multi-faceted initiative devoted to celebrating shelter pets and the incredible joy they bring to our lives.