Healthy Kids Day will start at 9 a.m. on April 16 and go until 1 p.m. However, the day will also be packed with other events for those in attendance.
In addition to the children’s events there will be a Healthy Lifestyles Resource Fair and the Behavioral Research Institute will be holding its fourth annual Day in the Park event in conjunction with Healthy Kids day. The Y will also have free fitness classes scheduled for those attending.
The main event for Healthy Kids Day will center around the Youth TRYathlon. Competitors will compete in a one mile run, a 1.5 mile bike ride and a 100 yard swim in the pool.
Senior Program Director Rodney Murray said the goal of the event is not to finish but to participate, hence tryathlon.
“We just want to provide children in the community with a great place to get a little exercise but more importantly have a lot of fun,” said Murray
The event is open to all children ages 6 to 12 and there is no entry fee. Parents are asked to have their children there by 8 a.m. for registration. Children participating will also be required to provide their own bicycle and helmet.
All those children competing in the event will be entered into a drawing to win a new TREK 3700 series mountain bike from Scott’s Bikes.
Healthy Kids Day will also feature games, free snacks provided by Bi-Lo and Chick-fil-A, children’s fitness based activities, inflatable fun centers, a climbing wall and free T-shirts for the first 250 kids.
During the Healthy Kids Day the Y will be holding fitness classes that are free and open to the public. At 8 a.m. there will be a muscle conditioning class, 9 a.m. aerobic cross training and a studio cycle class, 10 a.m. Zumba-tonic and at 11 a.m. pilates.
A Cleveland Healthy Lifestyles Resource Fair will run in conjunction with the kids day festivities.
The fair will have booths set up by area agencies, services and businesses from all over the Cleveland area providing information about their services.
“Now, the thing to keep in mind is the Y promotes mental, spiritual and physical wellness...even financial health. So, we there will be a variety of information provided to those who attend,” explained Murray.
Those interested in being a vendor at the event must have a product or service that promotes healthy lifestyles in some fashion. There is no charge for nonprofits and a small fee for profit organizations.
Last year the event saw over 10,000 visitors and the health fair had 50 booths. Murray hopes this year will be even stronger.
