Geared for ages 6 and up with activities that include: Running, Jump rope, Kayak, Judo, Cricket, Gymnastics, Soccer, Volleyball and instruction in the game of Cricket. Each participant will receive a free gift/prize as long as supplies last.
The event is local participation on behalf of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in North America, joined along with 50 other faith and community organizations in supporting this national initiative to fight the epidemic of childhood obesity.
The event is launched in support of the Adventists InStep for Life, an initiative to assist Adventist churches, schools and health care organizations in tackling the challenge of childhood obesity.
Nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese, increasing their risk for asthma, type two diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, sleep problems, depression, and bullying, according to a press release from Georgia Cumberland Academy Seventh Day Adventist Church.
Some of the contributing factors are decreased exercise, large portion sizes, too much refined foods, not enough whole grains, fruits, and vegetables, and the inability for low-income families to access healthy foods.
United States First Lady Michelle Obama launched “Let’s Move” in Feb. 2010 to help solve the problem of childhood obesity within a generation, so that kids born today reach adulthood at a healthy weight.
As a part of the Adventists InStep for Life initiative, the Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America has set aside Sunday, September 23 as “Let’s Move! Day.”
“Let’s Move Day is a wonderful opportunity to make a positive impact for Christ in our communities,” said Katia Reinert, MSN, CRNP, FNP-BC, PHCNS-BC, FCN, director of Adventist health ministries.
“The ‘Let’s Move’ initiative is consistent with our church’s approach to ministering to people physically, mentally, socially and spiritually,” said Pastor Ted Wilson, president of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
The Seventh-day Adventist Church in North America has set the following four goals for the Let’s Move initiative to increase physical activity by: accumulating 2 million miles through Instep for Life or other activities, 60 percent of Adventist students achieving the NAD and President Active Lifestyle Awards, launching 100 summer feeding sites (VBS, camps, community service activities), starting 100 new vegetable gardens or farmers markets in schools and/or churches.
The main idea is to engage kids, youth, parents, schools and the community in working together to fight obesity.
Local Sponsors for this event include: Cherokee Cycles, Gordon Hospital, RAK Outfitters, GCA Sports Teams, Get Juiced, Mother Eden’s Way, Results Unlimited Gym, and United Way in support of the Unity Run.
Greg Hudson, Chaplain of Georgia-Cumberland Academy and a father himself is passionate about helping people find fun ways of exercising and thus fighting obesity.
“I’d like to show there are many ways to be active instead of just running which some people don’t enjoy. Even things like gardening, playing sports and walking the dog are good ways to stay in shape,” said Hudson.
Reinert and other organizers are excited that this initiative has been accepted widely at all levels of the Seventh-day Adventist Church.
“Promoting small, simple changes in physical activity and food choices in our daily and family lives can make all the difference in preventing childhood obesity,” she said.
For more information on Let’s Move Day, please visit, http://www.adventistsinstepforlife.org
The Seventh-day Adventist Church is a mainstream Protestant church with approximately 16.3 million adult members worldwide, which includes 1.1 million members in North America.
Post a Comment