Hello everyone!! I’m still so excited to be writing yet another blog post for the American Heart Association. Thank you for reading along! I recently had the privilege of participating in the closing program of Jump Rope for Heart at McRae Elementary in Searcy, Arkansas. This program is an easy fundraiser that gets children involved in physical activity by jumping rope and dancing while learning about being heart healthy.
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It was a pleasure to partner up that day with Kelly Lamb who is the Youth Market Director for the American Heart Association. She explained the program by saying, “Jump Rope for Heart is about going into schools and teaching kids heart healthy habits like choosing water over sugary beverages, playing every day for 60 minutes, and reducing their sodium. Getting this message home is very important. We need to put an emphasis on physical activity.” Through Jump Rope For Heart, kids learn jump rope skills, how their heart works and raise money to help kids with special hearts. They also have a lot of fun, learn how to stay healthy and make a difference in the lives of others!
What a wonderful message for these kids. Even if they just implement one of these new habits in their lives, it can make a huge difference. Coach Mulvany, the P.E. teacher, was grateful to implement this fundraiser at their school saying, “Children need to be active. A lot of children are stuck inside, playing video games, on technology, and they lack skills with muscular strength, so developing those skills in P.E. and within the classroom is important.”
Coach Mulvany and Kelly Lamb are doing amazing things for the younger generation and making sure children are getting a head start on heart healthy habits. I was grateful to experience it for myself. I was able to go around to different groups of kids and talk to them about the importance of staying active. When I asked how they get exercise, their answers ranged from walking their dogs and exercising with their parents to playing soccer with their siblings. It made my day to see the younger generation making good strides to protect their heart! I was able to break out my dance moves to “The Electric Slide”. And I “attempted” to jump rope with a crown on my head representing Miss Metro’s Outstanding Teen.
Oh, how that shiny crown provides for many great conversations. One little boy asked me, “Where is Mr. America?” I laughed and told him "I am sure there is one out there, but I haven't met him yet." I had a wonderful morning getting to play with kids, but most importantly I am so thankful I was able to instill the importance of protecting their hearts.
Today, I invite each of you to join me and get involved with the lifesaving advocacy work of the American Heart Association. Add your voice by simply texting ABBY to 46839 right now or visit yourethecure.org/join. It only takes a few moments, and you will be a part of a powerful movement to save lives right here in Arkansas!
Wishing everyone a heart-healthy, happy holiday season,
Abigail (Abby) Davis resides in Little Rock, Arkansas. She is a Junior at Little Rock Christian Academy where she serves as Secretary for the Junior Student Council, public speaker for Future Business Leaders of America, leader for the College Rep Squad, and teacher’s assistant.
When not participating in school activities, she can be found developing new gymnastics skills, practicing dance technique and advocating for the American Heart Association, Arkansas Children’s Hospital, Baptist Health, Ronald McDonald House, and the Alzheimer’s Association.
Abigail also enjoys participating in the Miss America’s Outstanding Teen pageant organization and mentoring young girls through the system. She desires to change the way people look at their health. Her goal is to give individuals hope for the future and inspire them to make small changes that can make a big difference in their lives. Follow her on "A Better Heart for a Better Life" platform work on Facebook by clicking HERE and Instagram HERE.
Read Abby's first blog post in this series HERE.
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