CHAMBERSBURG, Pa. – Local volunteers and non-profit organizations gathered ay the Chambersburg YMCA to celebrate ‘Healthy Kids Day’ and to bring awareness to a healthier lifestyle for local kids through exercise and healthy diet choices.
The annual event, which took place from 5 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on April 24 featured several engaging programs for kids and their parents that included craft making, games, physical activities, a meet and greet with local emergency personnel such as police and fire fighters, and community groups such as the local Girl Scouts and the Children’s Advocacy Center.
Healthy Kids Day is a nationwide program run by the YMCA and was created to help battle child obesity and to educate families on the importance of daily exercise, healthy eating, and safety.
It has been reported by the CDC that approximately 14.7 million American youth between the ages of 2-19 suffer from obesity and that number continues to grow each year. The risk of health problems such as Type II diabetes and heart disease has increased among adolescents.
In Frankin County, the obesity rate for youth is 18.8% according to the Pennsylvania Department of Health/Frontiers in Public Health.
With the help of local non-profit organizations, the YMCA has been able to create programs such as ‘Healthy Kids Day’ to combat those numbers. Vendors at the event included Family Care Services, Chambersburg Fire Department, Wellspan, Seeing Eye, Path Stone, and even Chik-Fil-A, who had their mascot cow there to entertain the kids with a game of cornhole.
There were free giveaways such as coloring books, tee-shirts, and yellow fire fighter hats that could be seen in every corner of the facility.
It was a fun evening for all in attendance as the YMCA continues to promote healthier lifestyles for local youth and adults alike. For more information about the programs held daily at the YMCA, readers may visit their website: http://www.chbgy.org
