A Kingston, Frontenac and Lennox & Addington (KFL&A) Public Health program that aims to help kids learn some heart-warming and heart-healthy messages will kick off its twelfth annual event this Friday with over 12,000 elementary students in 50 schools across the KFL&A area participating.
Jingle Bell Run was developed by public health nurses from KFL&A Public Health to address major health issues facing kids.
Forty-six per cent of Canadian children are getting a mere three hours or less of active play per week. With the decrease in physical activity comes an increased risk for heart disease.
To prove to kids how fun and easy physical activities can be, in exchange for a donation to the local food bank, students receive bells and join in a festive fit break at their schools this Friday.
“The Jingle Bell Run provides a fun way to take a healthy break and promote activity,” said Mary Jean Short, public health nurse with KFL&A Public Health. “It also helps the food bank during a busy time of year. Children helping children is a heart-warming reward, especially since 40 percent of food bank recipients are children under the age of 18.”
“Every year we look forward to this great event to kick off the Christmas season,” said Sandy Singers, executive director of the Partners in Mission Food Bank. “This is a significant collection of food for us and it helps us to stock up the shelves for the new year when donations tend to drop off. The generosity of the kids and their families is incredible and is always very much appreciated.”
The reasons to be physically active are far reaching. Physical activity improves self-esteem, enhances psychological well-being, overcomes boredom, and provides positive leisure pursuits. Inactivity leaves a heavy burden on the Canadian economy—$3.1billion—and leads to almost 21,000 premature deaths every year in Canada.
“According to Active Healthy Kids Canada, we are not making the grade in ensuring that our children and youth are active enough each day,” said Short. “Statistics and reports show that less than half of our children are expending the energy required to maintain a healthy weight, and to develop healthy hearts, lungs, muscles, and bones.”
Jingle Bell Run is an initiative of the KFL&A Public Health in partnership with local food banks.
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Release source: KFL&A | Photo (collecting food for Vancouver Food Bank): Kris Krüg
