YMCA Encourages Kids to Get Healthy in Red Bank

The modern lifestyle can be an unhealthy one. Parents work long hours and children spend too many of their waking hours just sitting, sitting in front of one screen only to move to another, and another, until the day is done.

At Red Bank Middle School Saturday morning, the YMCA showed participating families that there is time for play, is time for exercise and physical activity, and, most of all, there’s always time for a healthy lifestyle.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, a national event held annually, along with a Community Health Fair introduced parents and children to fun activities for both mind and body while offering tips on how to live healthy.

The event attracted more than 280 people, Andrea Plaza, YMCA’s vice president of communication and collaboration said, many of whom took advantage of opportunities they weren’t aware were available.

“Any time that we can help families, just by giving them access to information and healthy living options,” Plaza said as community partners began packing up their booths. “It’s a way that we can help strengthen them.”

In addition to an event-packed morning, which included a different activity each half-hour, including yoga and the ever-popular dance workout zumba, booths situated in the school’s lunchroom provided healthy snacks and prizes, a bevy of health and wellness information, and even health screenings.

The event, touted as the nation’s largest health day for families, was sponsored locally by Patch.

“Today was all about having fun with Mom and Dad,” Plaza said, citing statistics that show one in three children are obese. “It was really just introducing them to a lot of activities that are available to families.”

Plaza praised the Red Bank School District for getting the word out about the event. Posters were hung up in hallways, announcements made in school, and calls made to parents, all alerting them to the free event and making them aware of the benefits of simply showing up and participating.

While children were having fun and being active, parents had the chance to have a free health screening conducted by nurses from Red Bank’s own Riverview Medical Center. Nearly 40 people took advantage of the screenings, which tested cholesterol and glucose levels, among others.

The YMCA, offering free memberships to children in grades kindergarten through eighth grade, also signed up 19 new members at the event.

Debra Shar, RN nursing supervisor, said not only does the screening let individuals identify what health problems they may be having, but also what health problems they could see in their future.

“It’s really a benefit to the community. We want to make sure everyone knows what’s available,” she said. “A lot of people don’t get checked out because they don’t have health insurance. But, there is access to health care.”

Participating in the Healthy Kids Day were Riverview Medical Center, Red Bank Police Department, UMDNJ, Horizon BCSC, NJ Family Cares, Parker Family Health Center, Monmouth County Health Commission, Modell’s Sporting Goods, Calendar for Kids, Trader Joe’s, and Smoothie King.

For more information, visit The Community YMCA.