Holiday Party Celebrates Health of Lansing Community
Julie Bitely
| 2 min read
The holidays are coming to Lansing a little early with a Saturday event featuring healthy food, fitness, and a special visit from Santa.
Lettuce Live Well is hosting a holiday party as the culminating celebration in a months-long Celebrity Health Challenge. The fun takes place from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at the Westside YMCA on Saturday, Nov. 7. Admission is free.
Twelve teams have been competing to log the most physical activity on the Lansing Loses a Million website, with each team playing for a charity partner. As part of the festivities, the winning team’s charity of choice will take home $2,500.
Emily Stevens is the Manager of Leisure Services for the City of Lansing’s Parks and Recreation Department. Stevens led the Parks and Recreation team, comprised of staff members and their friends and family.
Stevens said parks and recreation staffers are notoriously competitive, so the challenge really helped them band together as a team.
“If our team saw that we were behind, that would get the rallying cry out,” Stevens said.
They wore matching bandannas to events held throughout the challenge, including the Mayor’s Riverwalk at Potter Park Zoo and a canoe and trail race at Crego Park.
“Being able to be the people enjoying the recreation instead of planning it was really nice for the staff,” Stevens said.
As a department, Stevens said it was important to take part in the challenge, part of a larger Lansing Loses a Million initiative designed to help Lansing residents move more and meet health goals. She said the parks and recreation department plays an important role in combatting obesity and encouraging health and wellness. As for her team, Stevens said people met weight-loss goals and used the experience to stay on track training for personal athletic endeavors.
“We have a handful that met their goals and I think this competition helped them meet their goals,” she said.
If the parks and recreation team wins tomorrow, their earnings will go to the department’s Youth Scholarship fund, which gave away 930 scholarships worth $14,500 in the last fiscal year.
Head over to the Westside YMCA on Nov. 7 for some healthy holiday fun, with a live DJ, free Zumba, healthy snacks and recipes.
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Photo credit: anjanettew
