‘Get Up and Grow’ offered by rec. dept.
By Deborah Bennett

Combating childhood obesity is the aim of a new afterschool program to be offered by the Jenkins County Recreation Department beginning Jan. 8 from 3:30-5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“The Get Up and Grow program is not your typical after school program,” said Kayla Wygal, recreation department director.

Youth obesity is an epidemic, Wygal noted as she cited the following statistics:  18 million children under the age of 5 are obese;

 About 20 percent of all youth are obese;

 Multiple risk factors for heart disease are seen in children as early as two years old;

 15 percent of children ages 2-15 have fatty streaks in their coronary arteries; and

• One in three children born in 2000 will become diabetic if eating/fitness habits do not change.

“The benefits of youth physical fitness activities like those of the Get Up and Grow program exceed not only health issues. Children gain confidence, selfawareness and the ability to remain aware of health problems in the future,” Wygal said.

The after-school program will include playing freely but monitored, aerobic conditioning and training time; nutritional eating and education and homework time.

The cost of the program is $30 weekly, and it is open to children in kindergarten through eighth grade. Transportation will be provided for participants from their school to the recreation department.

For more information, contact the recreation department at 982- 2943.