Annual 5K Event Puts Focus On Childhood Obesity Your Health ...

From The Palm Beach Post?..

On the heels of National Diabetes Month in November, the Junior League of Martin County holds its 4th Annual Rudolph?s Reindeer Dash 5K on Dec. 8 to combat a related problem, childhood obesity.

The United States Center for Disease Control estimates that 79 million Americans now run the risk of becoming diabetic, a number fueled primarily by childhood obesity having more than tripled during the past 30 years across all ethnic groups.

?Juvenile diabetes has become an unfortunate side effect of childhood obesity,? said JLOMC president Donna Ernest DeMarchi. ?Part of our outreach is library readings about nutrition to pre-school kids, and family field days of activities.?

The Stuart-based league is a collective of 130 women committed to developing the potential of women and promoting volunteerism. One hundred percent of the Reindeer Dash proceeds will be used toward programs to educate school-aged kids about making healthy lifestyle choices.

?Our focus with this event is nutrition and fitness,? DeMarchi said, ?but we also target problems like hunger and homelessness.?

The annual Reindeer Dash has snowballed in popularity.

?When we started this four years ago, we raised around $3,000,? DeMarchi said. ?This year, we?re on target to raise closer to $20,000. So we?ve grown quite a bit. I think it helped that we changed to our current site, Sewall?s Point Town Commons Park, from Halpatiokee Regional Park. It?s a certified course, and we?re well on our way toward having more people signed up than the 280 from last year.?

Like all of the JLOMC?s volunteers, DeMarchi blends in her presidential duties around an occupation. A personal injury attorney for the Stuart-based law firm Crary Buchanan, the New Jersey native grew up on the Treasure Coast; has resided in Stuart since 2003, and has been a league member since 2004.

DeMarchi?s duties include overseeing the event, but she leaves the nuts and bolts to chair Lisa Holland, co-chair Denise Faherty, and committee members Kate Woods, Jac McManus, Zusanne Polhemus and Christine DeSantis Taylor. Most league members will participate in the 5K.

?I?ll be walking with my significant other, Chris Follmer,? DeMarchi said. ?I think there will be about half walkers; half runners, or maybe more. With the race certified by USA Track and Field, and using MCM Timing chips, we?re drawing more runners this year.?

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Source: http://www.lensaunders.com/wp/?p=7230

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