Kristie Vega with the Wa-ke Hatchee Recreation Center leads a group of campers including Stephanie Chalkos, 8, of Estero, through a dance workout at the Hearts N' Parks Fun Fit Festival at the Estero Community Park and Recreation Center.
The Miracles mascot shakes hands with Jack Norman, 4, of Estero, at the Hearts N' Parks Fun Fit Festival at the Estero Community Park and Recreation Center. Norman visited the park with his father Keith, 41, his sister Anna Rose, 3, and brother Benjamin, 1.
Showing children how to stay active, eat right and be heart healthy is important to Doreen Baranski at Estero Community Park.
Baranski organized the fourth annual Hearts N’ Parks Fun Fit Festival in Estero to make sure kids got the message that a healthy heart is no laughing matter.
“It’s basically for them to learn to eat healthy and exercise and spend less time indoors,” said Baranski, who spent four months organizing the event. “It’s mainly to give kids different ideas for what to do for activities.”
And kids got the message during the day’s event that included 25 fitness stations including dancing aerobics, tennis, baseball, laser tag and a jumbo slide.
“It feels good,” said Drew Coarke, 9, of Fort Myers. He is one of the almost 1,300 Lee County summer camp kids invited to the event.
Feeling good was the goal of the day and it kept kids active and gave campers something different.
“It’s a great thing for kids of Lee County. It’s a chance to play with friends and do some instructive, constructive and productive activity,” said Keith Norman, 41, of Estero.
He visited the park with his three children Jack, 4, Anna Rose, 3, and Benjamin, 1. “... it gets them out of the routine of the summer.”
Breaking that routine is why Baranski also asked local businesses to donate supplies and help pay for some of the event.
Summer campers paid about $3 of their weekly fee to attend the event.
“This was an effort of the teens camp along with other corporations to help put this together,” she said.
Children throughout the day rotated through activities along with their camp counselors.
“It’s awesome. I don’t know if they directly pick up anything but they might pick up some stuff ... some may want to pick up tennis ... ,” said camp counselor Tony Restino, 19, of Estero. “...some may want to pick up soccer.”
Creating that interest is what Baranski was hoping for.
“It’s a great, great day,” Norman said. “It’s nice for the kids.”
No comments:
Post a Comment