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Movin’ and Munchin’ e-news
Olympians tour state to promote Movin’ and Munchin’
It was a busy first half of the school year for the Movin’ and Munchin’ program, with rally events being held at four school districts in the fall. Large crowds have turned out for the events featuring Olympians Casey FitzRandolph and Suzy Favor Hamilton.
The new year has gotten off to a fast start, too, with stops at Lodi and Wisconsin Dells on January 8.
“Our rally events help the Movin’ and Munchin’ program continue to grow,” says Fred Evert, the WEA Trust Executive Director.
The second half of the school year promises to be even busier, with stops already scheduled for Cedar Grove-Belgium, Chetek, Spooner, and Washburn school districts. To have your school district considered for hosting a Movin’ and Munchin’ event, send an e-mail to events@movinandmunchin.com.
Here is a recap of the events from the school year so far:
September 23
The first rally of the school year was held at Mauston High School, involving pre-kindergarten through eighth-grade students. A crowd of nearly 1,000 people attended, and it included students from Grayside Elementary, Lyndon Station Elementary, West Side Elementary, and Olson Middle School.
October 13
Stop No. 2 was at the Kickapoo Area School District in Viola, where more than 400 pre-kindergarten through 12th grade students took part. The event started with a boost from the high school pep band, and the enthusiasm continued as Casey and Suzy broke through red and blue streamers into the gym. The district used the rally as a jumpstart to get all three schools signed up for the Movin’ and Munchin’ program.
October 14
Students from throughout the Whitewater Unified School District gathered for one of the larger Movin’ and Munchin’ rallies. More than 2,000 people packed into Whitewater High School to watch the rally, including students from Lincoln Elementary, Lakeview Elementary, Washington Elementary, Whitewater Middle School and Whitewater High School.
“We have a lot of activity and energy at our events, but we really hope that energy carries over and we want the kids to know that it feels good to exercise,” Casey said after the event.
After no schools participated last year, Whitewater District Administrator Suzanne Zentner led the district in getting all five schools to sign up this year for Movin’ and Munchin’ Schools program.
November 23
Elroy and Kendall elementary schools teamed up for an event at the Royall School District. The intimate gathering came just before Thanksgiving, a great time to remind students and staff to keep movin’—even during holiday times.
January 8, 2010
More than 500 people, consisting of students from Lodi Elementary and Lodi Elementary, staff, parents, and the public, attended the morning rally. A unique twist was added to this event as the Trust partnered with DreamBikes before the rally for a bike drive to collect used bicycles.
DreamBikes is a program that provides bicycles as well as job skill training for underprivileged youth. Movin’ and Munchin’ co-chairs Casey FitzRandolph and Suzy Favor Hamilton greeted those who donated bikes with autographed posters. The event was a huge success, collecting 68 bikes.
And later in the day in Wisconsin Dells, about 1,200 people gathered for a rally at Spring Hill School to honor the Dells’ commitment to the Movin’ and Munchin’ program. Five schools in the Wisconsin Dells School District received awards for their efforts in the 2008-09 Movin’ and Munchin’ program.
