Cruzin Passport Challenge looking for local business support

Local businesses are being sought to support the annual Cruzin Passport Challenge which promotes health and awareness of healthy living for children and their families in the Kent School District. The Cruzin’ Passport challenges our community elementary school children to eat smart, play hard and learn through participating in, increasing awareness of and rewarding healthy living behaviors.

March 8, 2011 9:35 pm

Local businesses are being sought to support the annual Cruzin Passport Challenge which promotes health and awareness of healthy living for children and their families in the Kent School District.

The Cruzin’ Passport challenges our community elementary school children to eat smart, play hard and learn through participating in, increasing awareness of and rewarding healthy living behaviors.

The challenge this year is to “Eat Right. With color.” More colorful fruits and vegetables and expanding to non-white grains means a healthier future.

In the U.S., one out of three children is overweight or obese. The balance of having healthier physical bodies and maintaining children’s self esteem and confidence is a tricky one. Our community challenge is to reverse the trend of increasing unhealthy lifestyles so that these children do not suffer from increased cardiac problems, hypertension, cancer and diabetes as they age.

The Cruzin’ Passport is organized through the Coalition for a Healthy Community in Covington and Kent4Health. Last summer there were 27 elementary school volunteer “Champions” that helped build awareness for improved health among children.

Crestwood Elementary School won $1,000 for physical education and health education equipment while Sawyer Woods Elementary won a complete floor hockey set. Donations to support the program were made by Valley Medical Center, MultiCare Healthy Systems, Univar, Kent Community Foundation, Pinnacle Medical Therapy, Barclay’s Seafoods, Kohl’s, Kent Station Management, the Kent School District and more than 130 businesses in Kent and Covington.

This program reached out to more than 4,500 families in 2010 with twice as many free activities in the community and four times as many participants at kickoff events compared to 2009.

The Passport will again be gearing up for the 2011 Summertime Challenge. The format of the Passport this year will be different and children will be encouraged to use it as a self journaling tool and will not be getting stamps from businesses. The children and their winning schools will continue to be rewarded for healthy behaviors and learning over the summer months.

For more information, or to volunteer, please see www.cruzinpassport.com website, or contact us at cruzinpassport@gmail.com.