The Community YMCA Helps Families Take On Summer at Healthy Kids Day, April 30

WALL, NJ (April 21, 2016) - On Saturday, April 30, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., The Community YMCA’s Camp Zehnder is hosting Healthy Kids Day, a free community event to inspire more kids to keep their minds and bodies active now and all summer long.

“Healthy Kids Day, is all about building on the great qualities inside every kid. We’re offering a variety of activities for a day of creative, challenging, smart and healthy fun,” said Barry Martin, Vice President of Health, Wellness and Camping.

Healthy Kids Day is the Y’s national initiative to improve the health and well-being for kids and families. It was established in 1992 in response to alarming statistics that one in three U.S. children is obese, and when summertime hits, kids become more idle. Research shows that without access to out-of-school physical and learning activities, kids fall behind academically and gain weight twice as fast during summer than the school year.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® will help parents get a jump on summer with ideas to keep their children active and achieve all summer long, Martin said. The Y will highlight many of its summer programs including day camp and swim lessons.

Families will enjoy a variety of activities including walking tours of the scenic camp, gardening and nutritional displays to motivate and teach them how to develop healthy food choices and routines at home. They’ll have the opportunity to help prepare camp gardens and plant their own vegetables and herbs to take home, thanks to a grant from Amerigroup, a health care organization.

In addition, children will have a chance to try fun and challenging obstacles that will be part of a new specialty camp offered at Camp Zehnder this summer with partner Spartan. The Spartan Edge weeklong camp will include a series of mental and physical obstacles to help kids develop resilience and teamwork.

Healthy snacks and giveaways will also be available.

YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day takes place from 9 a.m. – noon at Camp Zehnder, 3911 Herbertsville Road, Wall, 08724. The event will also be held at the Y’s Family Health & Wellness Center in Red Bank from 1 – 3 p.m. For more information, call 732.836.9177 or visit www.TheCommunityYMCA.org.

Healthy Kids Day is supported locally by Hulafrog.

About The Community YMCA

The Y is a leading nonprofit charity that strengthens communities through youth development, healthy living and social responsibility. The Community YMCA serves more than 20,000 residents in greater Monmouth County through programs such as: preschool, before and after school care, health and wellness, leadership, arts enrichment, personal and family counseling and summer day camp. With a mission to serve all, more than $350,000 in direct reduced and free membership fees and programs is provided by the YCares financial assistance program to individuals and families in need. For more information, visit TheCommunityYMCA.org.

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