Brain Gain From Sequim Gazette

Three out of 10 kids are obese or overweight. Being overweight as a child dramatically increases risk of many diseases later in life, including cardiovascular disease, diabetes and cancer. According to two 2014 studies, during summertime children gain up to three times as much weight as during the school year.

Through the generous support of the Safeway Foundation, our Sequim and Port Angeles clubs and others across Washington are partnering with The Hope Heart Institute, a local leader in cardiovascular prevention research and education, to implement its evidence-based health and fitness curriculum, “Kids Take Heart.”

The Hope Heart Institute provided our club staff with education and curriculum with the goal to increase students’ knowledge of and participation in healthy behaviors.

This week staff engaged 25 boy and girl participants in identifying components, functions and diseases of the cardiovascular system, recognizing and evaluating risk factors, warning signs and prevention strategies, and created and implemented a personal wellness plan. Lessons are divided into four topic areas and this week the children learned anatomy and most specifically about the heart and the cardiovascular system.

Morning Camp

Our regular morning participants enjoyed a week in the Caribbean, exploring countries and cultures of Jamaica, Puerto Rico and the Bahamas. Included in the week about the Bahamas was a lesson on the Panama

Canal and how important the ship passage through that water way was to the world. Members watched a movie featuring boats moving through the canal.

Reptiles always prove to be engaging to the young boys and girls and their lesson on coqui frogs native to Puerto Rico was particularly interesting. They learned the frogs, called coqui, got their name from the sound the males make. It is also the primary job of the male frog to raise the young.

Avid club supporter and Jamaican Liz Parks volunteered to speak to the campers (with her wonderful accent) and came in wearing a shirt with the Jamaica flag and the phrase “out of many — one people.” She shared with the kids the history of Jamaica and the meaning of the statement on her shirt.

We know not all kids are able to visit such wonderful yet distant places and are very grateful for volunteers like Liz to bring a little piece of the world to members.

What a week

It’s often that the week doesn’t end for us on Friday and this last Saturday was no exception. Rotarians hosted their annual Salmon Bake at the Boys & Girls Club and it was our turn to support their efforts. Several of our club teens volunteered their time and worked side by side with Rotarians at their fundraiser.

KinderKids left the club to visit The Fifth Avenue Retirement Center where the elderly and the 6-year-olds jointly enjoyed a game of balloon volleyball.

Several of our members and their families could be found at Walmart for “Stuff the Bus.” The volunteers were out soliciting school supplies from the community to be distributed at the third-annual Back to School Fair on Aug. 29.

Our Brook’s Running Club members are making great progress toward earning their running shoes.

Participants are required to attend Running Club eight times to earn a pair of running shoes and last week we saw eight members reach this milestone.

Twenty-five of our kids were able to enjoy a special field trip over to Seattle and enjoy the Seattle Storm game Friday night in a suite.

IMAGE: KinderKids play balloon volleyball with hosts from The Fifth Avenue Retirement Center. – Submitted photo

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