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10th annual Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day

Third grade students from the Panhandle area had the chance to learn about health and wellness at the 10th annual Nebraska Kids Fitness and Nutrition Day held in Sidney on Thursday.

Janelle Hansen, health educator for Panhandle Public Health District (PPHD) said eight schools gathered in Sidney to participate in the fun-filled day.

"Third graders traveled from Big Springs, Kimball, Bridgeport, Potter-Dix, Lodgepole, Dalton, and Sidney to participate in this non-competitive event," Hansen said.

More then 350 third graders participate in the event annually, which is held in September and October, and takes place in Alliance, Sidney and Chadron.

Stations were set up at the Cheyenne County Community Center and in Sidney's Legion Park. The stations encompassed physical activities and and nutrition.

Some of the physical activity stations include stretch bands, Tae Kwon Do, SWAT- boot camp, tumbling, Zumba, obstacle course, and yoga.

Nutrition stations included hand washing, healthy snacks and MyPlate, label logic and blender bikes.

Hansen said the blender bikes, exercise bikes with blenders attached, were donated for use by the University of Lincoln Kearny (UNLK) and were a big hit with students.

Jessica Davies, assistant director for PPHD started the fitness day 10 years ago. Kids Fitness day, Davies said had been held throughout Nebraska by the Nebraska Beef Council and UNLK.

"The organizations wanted to expand the fitness day into the area, we hope to start one in Scottsbluff soon as well," Davies said.

Davies said the overall purpose of the event is to educate young people to on how how physical activity and nutrition work together to maintain health.

"My passion in life is that people find a life-long love of healty and happy lifestyles, and I feel like we give kids and teachers that by offering this event," Davies said.

Davies said the activity is made possible by additional funding from from the the University of Nebraska at Kearney, the Nebraska Beef Council and Panhandle Public Health District.

 

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