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PRESS RELEASE 

CONTACTS:   Jim Robinson – Director – Olive Branch Family YMCA  890-9622

                           Mellany Evans, Community Health Council Chair  901-762.7612

                            Peggy Linton, Community Foundation of Northwest MS  449.5002

YMCA SHINES AS JUNE HEALTH CHAMPION

Visit the Olive Branch Family YMCA any time and you will see active young people working to improve their health in fun and motivational ways.   The YMCA has been successful in integrating physical activity and nutrition education programs into their daily activity schedule as well as summer camps and after schools programs.  Olive Branch Family YMCA’s mission is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build a healthy spirit, mind and body for all.

The DeSoto County Community Health Council recognized the quality programs offered to youth in the area of physical fitness and nutrition and for this reason is awarding the Olive Branch Family YMCA the June Health Champion Recognition.  Youth have the opportunity take part in one or more activities relating to healthy lifestyles:

Kids Fit Aerobic Classes;  Youth Strength Training and Conditioning Program;  Alpha Center Teen work out area – 13 – 15 year olds; Special Needs Athletic and Aquatic Program; Nutrition Education Counseling; Swim Lessons (6 months to 17); Youth Sports – Soccer, Basketball, Cheerleading; Thai Boxing; Martial Arts and Swim Team – Competitive and recreational.  The Summer Enrichment Camp offers a variety of lessons on healthy lifestyle such as celebrating Nutrition Week where the dietician led Jeopardy games on eating healthy; health presentations; Tobacco Prevention games and activities; physical education classes; Body Walk; and the Power Panther, part of the USDA’s Nutrition Program.  Healthy Kids Day is observed annually and offers an opportunity for parents to learn along side their children. 

Getting kids on the right track at an early age is important to the YMCA offering Kids Corner, a pre-school curriculum including nutrition and physical fitness.   The After School Program incorporates both physical activity and nutrition components.  Home schooled classes are offered for swimming and physical education.

“The DeSoto County Community Health Council is proud to recognize the Olive Branch Family YMCA for their outstanding achievements in advocating healthy lifestyles for the entire community,”  Mellany Evans, Chair, DeSoto County Community Health Council.  We are impressed that their list of services is all-encompassing by including programming for all ages from youth to seniors; a program which specifically focuses on those with special needs; and as their mission statement proclaims, they truly are building healthy spirit, mind and body for all!”

“I am proud that the YMCA has been recognized as a health champion in Desoto County. The YMCA has been in existence since 1844 and since 1855 in the Mid-South area”  says Jim Robinson, Executive Director, Olive Branch Family YMCA.  “A short time later in 1869 the first health and wellness components were introduced at YMCA’s across the country. The Olive Branch Family YMCA is proud to be serving individuals, children, and families for the past three years. It is often said about the Y that … “there are programs for everyone of all ages at the Y.” That is a very true statement. Being a YMCA located in Mississippi, we focus many of our programs to help combat the obesity issues facing our State. From our Kids Fit classes to senior water aerobics or Youth Strength Training classes to Senior Strength Training classes they all focus on developing healthier lifestyles.”

The Community Health Council is a component of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi’s GET A LIFE! initiative and seeks nominations from throughout the county to recognize a Monthly Health Champion.  Do you know an individual, group, church, school, or business that you feel is an advocate for healthy lifestyles in DeSoto County.   Send your nomination to Peggy Linton at plinton@cfnm.org or fax to 662.449.5006.  For more information and healthy tips visit www.kidsgetalife.org.  

By: Peggy Linton

       Community Development Director

       Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi

PICTURED:

Members of the Olive Branch Family YMCA were presented the June Health Champion Recognition by DeSoto County Community Health Council Chairman Mellany Evans.  The Council is a component of the Community Foundation of Northwest Mississippi’s GET A LIFE! healthy lifestyle initiative.  The YMCA received the award for being advocates for healthy lifestyles in DeSoto County.  Pictured are

Front row: (l to r) DeSoto County Community Health Council member Lycia Callahan, Council Chair Mellany Evans, YMCA Director Jim Robinson, YMCA staff Ginger Armistead, Elizabeth Clark.

Back row (l to r) YMCA of Memphis & the Mid-South Present  & CEO Keith Johnson, YMCA staff Mary Ellen Grannan, Bobby Pearson, Debbie Johnson, Skye Jackson, and Bob Patterson

If you would like to make a nomination for a monthly health champion email Peggy Linton @ plinton@cfnm.org.  To learn more about GET A LIFE!