Pelham News
04-30-08 #3
Williams Elementary School students participate in
"The Kids in the Kitchen" program
The Junior League of Pelham announced their second
annual childhood obesity and nutrition education
initiative, "Kids in the Kitchen," with one of
their events taking place at Mount Vernon's Williams
Elementary School. The overall goal was to raise
awareness and help reverse the growth of childhood
obesity and its associated health issues.
“Considering that women in Junior Leagues across
America and in parts of Canada, Great Britain and Mexico
are taking on the issue of childhood obesity by engaging
kids at a community level, I believe the Junior League
will make a critical “healthy” difference in the lives
of an upcoming generation,” says JLP president, Cathie
Arquilla. “And I’m incredibly proud of the Junior League
of Pelham’s Kids in the Kitchen projects, which
are impacting kids right here in our own service area.”
The exciting Williams Elementary School
event
took place April 3, for the children of Amazing
Afternoons, a program of Westchester Jewish
Community Services.
The event had 115 children participating in nutrition
and fitness workshops focused on encouraging them to
choose healthy foods and to exercise as a regular part
of their lives. It began with a fun snack, where the
children made a face out of fruit, vegetables and cheese
all donated by Stop & Shop. This was followed by a
fitness workshop where they got moving and grooving with
ISSA certified personal trainer, Colleen Walsh of Sun
and Moon Fitness. DeCicco Marketplace donated bottles of
water for each child.
The afternoon ended with a nutrition workshop focusing
on the updated food pyramid and how to read nutrition
labels, designed by registered dietician, Dimitria
Holland.
“The Kids in the Kitchen program is a very
special event for the Edward Williams after school
program. The kids learn about nutrition, fitness and
giving to others. The Junior League of Pelham does an
exceptional job of engaging all of the children and
making it a special day,” said Mary Figueroa., director
of Amazing Afternoons.
Each child in the program was provided an insulated
Kids in the Kitchen lunch bag filled with healthy
snacks (partially donated by Trader Joe’s and Costco),
“The Healthy Way” book donated by Stew Leonard’s,
a jump rope and cooking utensil (purchased with the
proceeds of a fundraising event at Let’s Dish in
Scarsdale, New York) and handouts for the parents.
Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen, which
launched in 2006, addresses the staggering statistic
that nearly one-third of children and adolescents in
North and South America will be overweight by 2010 and
at increased risk of contracting Type II diabetes, high
blood pressure, the numerous ailments related to high
cholesterol and social problems that affect self-esteem.
Based on information that shows that kids who help with
shopping and meal preparation are more likely to eat
healthy foods, Leagues are involving kids in hands-on
activities related to preparation of their own meals and
snacks.
Junior Leagues also offer a comprehensive website with
materials that interest both kids and parents. An online
recipe collection features downloadable kid-friendly,
nutritious recipes from celebrities, chefs and athletes,
as well as an educational interactive game provided by
Cartoon Network, the exclusive kids’ media partner of
Kids in the Kitchen. Kids and their parents can also
access downloadable nutrition and exercise tips, quizzes
to test kids on their nutritional knowledge and the
USDA’s MyPyramid Blast-Off game, an entertaining way for
kids to learn guidelines for daily food consumption and
physical activity, tailored to their nutrition and
fitness needs.
The Kids in the Kitchen website can be found at
http://kidsinthekitchen.ajli.org
or through the Junior League of Pelham’s home page at
www.jlpelham.org.
Hundreds of thousands of children and their families
will continue to have the opportunity to enrich their
lives and palates with recipes, tips and activities from
Junior League members across four countries through the
Kids in the Kitchen initiative. The Junior
Leagues believe that education and hands-on involvement
in healthy meal preparation are the first steps to
making a lasting change in our children’s future.
Founded in 1932 as the Pelham Service League, the
Junior League of Pelham is an organization of women
committed to voluntarism, developing the potential of
women and improving communities through the effective
action and leadership of trained volunteers. The Junior
League of Pelham is committed to Pelham and its
surrounding communities. Through education, healthy
families and Pelham improvement projects, the JLP
reaches out to local residents and organizations. For
more information, visit
www.jlpelham.org.
Children in
the Amazing Afternoon program receiving "Kids in the
Kitchen" goody bags
JLP
Members Haley Childs, Dimitria Holland and Kathleen
Veteri teaching about the food pyramid.
JLP
member Colleen Walsh of Sun and Moon fitness
leading the fitness workshop
