The Duneland Family YMCA will join more than 1,700 YMCAs nationwide for the 17th annual YMCA Healthy Kids Day Saturday, April 12, 9 a.m. – noon, Rain or Shine. An opportunity for kids and families to “Put Play in Their Day,” this special event uses free, fun, engaging and creative activities to encourage children and families to adopt behaviors that support a healthy lifestyle. New this year, YMCA Healthy Kids Day also marks the launch of new Healthy Family Home™ resources made possible by Eli Lilly and Company. “Starter Kits”, providing practical tools for children and parents to work together to embrace healthy habits at home (while supplies last).

YMCA Healthy Kids Day and Healthy Family Home™ exemplify Activate America®, the YMCA’s response to our nation’s growing health crisis. The YMCA is redefining itself and engaging communities across the country to better support Americans of all ages who are struggling to achieve and maintain well-being in spirit, mind and body.

Throughout its nearly 160-year history as a volunteer and charitable organization, the YMCA has continually evolved to meet the changing needs of the communities and individuals it serves. Today a new set of issues are calling the YMCA to act:

• Our nation’s lifestyle health choices are contributing to increased rates of disease and reduced quality of life.

• Families are finding it difficult to balance their work, family and civic life.

• Youth, regardless of family income, are not receiving the support they need to develop positive skills and values that can guide them throughout their life.

“The challenge is that many families see healthy living as an all–or-nothing proposition. Through this lens, achieving a healthier lifestyle can seem overwhelming or out of reach,” said Kym Groceman, executive director of the Duneland Family YMCA. “YMCA Healthy Kids Day shows families and kids that making healthy choices can be easy, fun and accessible to everyone. And through our new Healthy Family Home™ resources, we’re giving families take-home tools to help them assess the foundation of how they play, eat and connect together as a family.”

The YMCA and Eli Lilly and Company have partnered to create Healthy Family Home™ because it leverages two of the most powerful forces affecting health and well-being: the family home and proven impact of small, sustained changes. Free Healthy Family Home™ “Starter Kits” will be distributed to families who participate in YMCA Healthy Kids Day (while supplies last) and also will be available free to all families online at www.ymca.net after April 12.

For more information about YMCA Healthy Kids Day, call Cortney Coram at 219.926.4204.

Posted 4/10/2008