On Saturday, April 30th, the YMCA of Western North Carolina is holding two free community events to inspire kids to keep their minds and bodies active.
The events, being held at the Corpening Memorial YMCA in Marion and Jackson Park in Hendersonville, will feature family-friendly 5k fun runs/walks, inflatables, face painting, giveaways, and more to motivate and teach families how to develop healthy routines at home. Both Healthy Kids Day® events run from 10:00 am through 2:00 pm and are free and open to the public. The 5k in Marion starts at 8:30am; Hendersonville’s 5k starts at 11:00 am.
This year marks the 25th annual YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y’s national initiative to improve health and well-being for kids and families. YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, celebrated at over 1,300 Ys across the country, gets kids moving and learning, creating habits that they continue all summer long, which is a critical time for kids’ health. When kids are out of school, they can face hurdles that prevent them from making healthy choices around food and fitness. Research shows that without access to out-of-school physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically. Kids also gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year. As spring turns to summer, Healthy Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children idle away their summer days.
“The Y believes in the potential of all children, and we strive to help kids find the ‘wow’ factor inside themselves. A child’s development is never on vacation and Healthy Kids Day is a great opportunity to educate families and motivate kids to stay active in spirit, mind, and body throughout the summer,” said Paul Vest, president and CEO of the YMCA of Western North Carolina.
The Corpening Memorial YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day is sponsored by presenting sponsor McDowell Hospital and additional local sponsors Carolinas HealthCare System Blue Ridge and the McDaniel Insurance Agency. The Hendersonville event is supported by presenting sponsor Pardee Hospital and additional sponsor Hendersonville Pediatric Dentistry. Both 5k runs/walks are sponsored by FootRx of Asheville.
Registration for the 5ks is open now at www.ymcawnc.org (scroll to bottom of page for link to online registration, search for “5k,” then select “Adult Fitness”). Registration through April 15 is $5 for participants 12 years old and younger, $10 for those 13 and up. From April 16 through the day of the event the cost is $10 for participants 12 and younger, $15 for 13 and older. For more information, contact Tina Weaver, Director of Program Development, at 828 210 9605, [email protected], or visit facebook.com/ymcawnc.org.