After school program coming to HMK

Details

Published on Thursday, March 23, 2017

By Miranda Leybourne

The Neepawa Banner

The Town of Neepawa’s Leisure Services Department is running a six-week after school program for children, starting on April 21, that will focus on fun and physical fitness. 

Amanda Novak, Leisure Services Manager with the Town, says a trained staff member from Sport Manitoba will be in attendance at the after school program, which will run every Friday from 3:45-4:45 p.m. at Hazel M. Kellington (HMK) Elementary School, until May 26. There will be organized games which include all children in attendance, equipment to help the children learn the fundamentals of movement through play and more.

Novak says it’s very important that all children have physical fitness opportunities, even those whose parents or caregivers cannot afford to enroll them in organized activities, which is why, she says, the program is completely free.

“Canada, like many nations, is in the midst of an epidemic of...obesity. There has been a dramatic increase in unhealthy weights in Canada. Childhood overweight and obesity has been rising steadily in Canada in recent decades,” Novak attests, noting that obesity between children ages two to 17 years has increased from 15 per cent to 26 per cent, with increases highest among youths ages 12 to 17. 

“Most adolescents do not outgrow this problem,” she continues, “and in fact, many continue to gain excess weight. If current trends continue, by 2040 up to 70 per cent of adults aged 40 years will either be overweight or obese.” 

Parents, Novak says, can do many things to increase the activity level of their children and make sure they keep fit -- and it’s not all about being athletically talented.

“Kids can be fit even if they’re not winning sports trophies,” she attests. “The key is finding activities they enjoy. The options are many, from inline skating and bike riding to tennis and swimming. When kids find an activity that’s fun, they’ll do it a lot, get better at it, feel accomplished and want to do even more.”

Parents who wish to enroll their children in the after-school program can pick up a form from the Town Office or HMK.