Rockwall Y to host Healthy Kids Day, welcoming kids, community

YMCA healthy kids program announcement
Shey Stegall (center) Financial Representative of Modern Woodman Financial donating materials for use in the YMCA's KidFit program along with LIz Jones (left) Membership & Wellness Director of the Rockwall YMCA and Mike Atkins (right) Executive Director of the Rockwall YMCA

Free community event kicks off summer of physical fitness for area families

10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, April 28

On Saturday, April 28, the Rockwall Family YMCA is celebrating Healthy Kids Day with a free community event that will help families find fun through active play and educational opportunities to improve health and well-being.

As part of the Y’s commitment to strengthening community by addressing critical gaps in health and education, Healthy Kids Day will encourage kids and parents to commit to keeping the body and mind active now and throughout the summer.

At Healthy Kids Day, the nation’s largest health day for kids, families will enjoy:

  • The Rockwall Police Department will have uniformed officers present with safety information and fingerprinting kits
  • The Rockwall Fire Department will have a truck and safety information
  • Free screening offered for children, an anti-oxidant/nutritional scan: BioPhotonic Scanner
  • Bags from the Rockwall Library with the Y logo on them will be given away to the first 100 children at the event
  • Lakepoint Medical will have a booth with give-aways and displays
    • Modern Woodman Financial will be giving away jump ropes while supplies last
    • Helping Hands will have an information table on services available
    • Play & Learn booth
    • Bounce House
    • Fruit, water and cheese samples

Schedule of events:

10 a.m.- Baylor is hosting an educational presentation and Twister activity

11 a.m.- Dr. Jenna Webster will host an activity on stretches and spine health

11:30 a.m.- Kid Fit sample class

12 p.m.- cooking segment with Rabe the Babe

12:30 p.m.- Fun Run for everyone

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, Childhood obesity has more than tripled in the past 30 years. Children aged 6–11 in the United States who were obese increased from 7% in 1980 to nearly 20% in 2008, and adolescents aged 12–19  increased from 5% to 18% over the same period.

In addition, when the school year ends, the physical and educational health of many kids worsens.

Summer is the ideal time for kids to get up, get out and grow, but for some kids, exposure to activities that stimulate the body and mind ends with the school year. In fact, research shows that kids are more prone to gain weight and fall behind academically over the summer months.

Liz Jones is the Membership and Wellness Director at the Rockwall County YMCA.

“At Healthy Kids Day, we’re helping parents take on summer by taking steps to ensure that their kids stay physically and intellectually active,” said Liz Jones. “With summer just around the corner, there is no better time than now to begin developing a healthy routine that helps kids be healthier and sharper for when the next school year begins.”

A leading nonprofit committed to strengthening community through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility, the Y holds Healthy Kids Day to improve the health and well-being of kids.

As part of this initiative, the Y – along with hundreds of thousands of parents and kids nationwide – is taking on summer by addressing critical gaps in health and education that cause kids to be at increased risk for childhood obesity and suffer summer learning loss.

YMCA logoModern Woodman Financial is partnering with the Rockwall YMCA to promote Healthy Children and has donated materials for use in their KidFit program, which will kick off the beginning of May. KidFit is geared to 6-11 year olds and teaching them healthy living activities and lessons, while their parents utilize the YMCA.

Shey Stegall, Financial Representative, says Modern Woodman Financial is about touching lives and securing futures and is excited to be a partner in the community with the Rockwall YMCA.

 For more information, contact Liz Jones, Membership & Wellness Director at  or 972-772-9622.

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