On August 19, 2017, the Roanoke Branch NAAACP Health Committee, in conjunction with Feeding America, sponsored “Kicking off Healthy Living” a program to teach youths strategies to live healthy. Approximately 40 children gathered in Lansdowne Community Room on a Saturday morning to learn how to make healthy slaw from Tonya Pickett, Virginia Cooperative Extension, before learning various workout activities and games by Moir Hill and Art Thompson, both retired Physical Education teachers.
Josh Friday and Brandon Terry, young community leaders, challenged the youth on using everyday equipment to develop athletically. The physical activities ended with Melissa May, owner of Healing Healthy Hands, demonstrating a fun way for the entire family to stay fit together, modeling the slogan that a family that dance together will laugh together.
Feeding America was a big hit, closing out the event with serving hot dogs, hamburgers, milk and fruit to approximately 150 persons. With donations from Food Lions on Shenandoah and the one on Peters Creek, fruit and water for breaks in between activities were made available.
Planning committee members, Mollie DeBerry, Roanoke Branch NAACP Health Committee co-chair, Anita Wilson Roanoke Branch NAACP Health Committee Chair, and Barbara Pendergrass Richmond, committee member, were pleased with the participation of the youth. This program was dedicated to the late Tom Cain, a planning committee members, for his dedicated service to the NAACP and the Roanoke Valley.
