Request to block roads for Mercy Day Run OK’d

Saturday, August 4, 2012

By Angelique McNaughton

Mercy Hospital spokeswoman Tina Rockhold gained the cooperation of Bourbon County commissioners on Friday for the second annual Mercy Day Run next month. 

 

Rockhold asked commissioners if they would block certain county roads the day of the race from 215th Street and the intersection of Indian Road, south to the intersection of Grand Road and Highway 39 — about two and a half miles. The run is slated for 7 a.m. Saturday, Sept. 29, starting in Mercy’s east parking lot. It is organized by an eight-member committee comprised of Mercy employees.

 

“We are asking for assistance from the county to keep the roads safe for our participants,” Rockhold said.

Commission Chairman Harold Coleman told Rockhold the county would do “whatever we did last year” to help.

The idea for the Mercy Day stemmed from Mercy’s public initiative to engage coworkers in healthier habits by emphasizing the four pillars associated with healthy living — eat for life; breathe for life; balance for life; and move for life.

“To address the ‘move for life,’ pillar we chose this particular project last year to get our coworkers engaged,” Rockhold said.

Participants may make a 5K run, or a half-marathon. The fee for the 5K run is $25 per person, which includes a T-shirt and awards for the top three finishers in each age group.

Cost for the half-marathon is $40 per individual and also includes a T-shirt and medal. Additional medals will go to the top five men and women. Those who wish to take part may register up to the day of the race, from 6-6:30 a.m. but fees will increase $5 after Sept. 14.

Online registration is available at www.heartlandtiming.com. Forms can be obtained at Mercy Health for Life and Buck Run Community Center.

Proceeds will benefit the resurfacing of the community walking trail at Fort Scott Community College.

About 140 people attended the first Mercy Day Run last year, with some runners hailing from as far away as Kansas City and Arkansas. Approximately 42 Mercy workers donated their time to the event.

“The other thing that I think is important (is that) even though it’s an idea to promote fitness among our own co-workers, we hope to encourage our community to become more active, too,” Rockhold said. “We hope the community and others join our efforts to make us a stronger, more healthy community.”

Rockhold said only a handful of people have pre-registered for the event. With eight weeks left until the big day, Rockhold said she isn’t “getting too nervous yet.”

Organizers have set a goal of 150 participants to surpass last year’s attendance.

Rockhold said she would like to thank this year’s sponsors: Mercy Clinic, the city of Fort Scott, FSCC and Cobalt MedPlans.

“The whole idea is to challenge yourself to go just a little bit farther this time,” she said.

This year is the 126th year that Mercy has been in Fort Scott. Across Mercy’s four-state service area, Mercy Day honors the servitude and compassionate care of the founding Sisters who set the Mercy health care ministry in motion, a June news release said.

For more information about Mercy Day or the Mercy Day Run, contact the Mercy Development Office at (620) 223-8094.

In other business, commissioners:

*Received another revised edition of the 2013 county budget. Accountant Terry Sercer, of Diehl, Banwart, and Bolton CPAs, presented the revised version of the budget to commissioners, which included an additional $25,000 to the county’s murder trial fund, which covers the expenses the county incurs from murder trials.

The revisions in the budget adjusted the local mill levy, but Sercer said it is still down from last year at about .600 mills.

Commissioners plan to hold the public hearing on the budget within the next few weeks.

© Copyright 2012 Nevada Daily Mail. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

‘Zumbatomics’ helps keep kids moving

Wednesday, July 11, 2012

By Angelique McNaughton

The Latin dance-fitness craze known as Zumba has kids moving to the beat and learning about nutrition at the New Generation child care center this summer. 

Winfield Scott Elementary School music teacher Mary Jo Harper has taught two Zumbatomic classes, specifically designed for children, at the center. Harper recently became a licensed Zumbatomic and Zumba basic instructor through a Kansas City-based training program after taking classes in Pittsburg and Joplin, Mo.

“It was fabulous and so much fun,” Harper said of the classes.

As a teacher, Harper said she thought it would be “really cool to learn how to do this.” She said Zumba beats and steps tend to be complicated and sensual in nature and the Zumbatomic moves are more “kid-friendly and appropriate.”

Winfield Scott Elementary School music teacher Mary Jo Harper leads about 10 kids in her second Zumbatomic class at the New Generation child care center on Tuesday morning. Based on Zumba, the Latin dance craze, Zumbatomic is specifically designed with children in mind.
(Angelique McNaughton/Tribune)

The exuberant dance “classes” range from 50 to 60 minutes, starting with a warm-up. After youngsters are loose, they learn a dance, play a game and have a cool-down.

New Generation Director Amy Boyd said she’s an advocate of kids’ physical fitness and nutrition education, so when Harper called and asked to do the classes she “was all over it.”

“And the kids just love it,” Boyd added.

About 10 children spent Tuesday morning dancing to the Latin-style music, constantly moving around the small classroom.

Five-year-old Mackayla Chapman said she had fun and was out of breath during the dancing.

“My favorite part was the Freeze Dance,” Chapman said referring to the day’s game. All smiles, Chapman hugged her instructor at the end of class.

The educator in Harper emerged throughout the morning as she used cross-curricular teaching to get the youngsters discussing nutrition and healthy eating habits while practicing Spanish language skills learned through the accompanying music.

Harper said she remembers doing aerobic-style fitness classes as a kid.

“I was overweight as a small child and I would always have my parents, my family and friends getting me to do fitness activities,” Harper said. “I remember doing Jazzercise in first grade and it was fun; more fun than stretching. But I really loved the dance classes.”

“Zumba incorporates all the things I love … the fitness, the stretching, the high-intensity cardio and the organized part of it,” she said.

Whether an adult or child interested in improving their physical health, Harper said, “come ready to have fun.

“I hope they have fun, first and foremost because if it’s not fun they wont want to do it again,” she said. “If they’re not having fun, I’m not having fun.”

Harper said she’d like to continue with bi-weekly classes through the summer at the center until she goes back to teaching full time in the fall. Ultimately, Harper said she would like to incorporate Zumbatomics into the school district through the Wellness Committee, eventually weaving the program into the regular school day.

“I’ve done similar dance routines and exercise classes, but this incorporates so many different aspects of learning …,” Harper said. “And combining fitness and knowledge is a really revolutionary idea and I really like that.”

The New Generation child care center serves 84 students throughout the school year, ages 2 weeks through 6 years. During the summer, the kids are typically between 6 and 12.

© Copyright 2012 Fort Scott Tribune. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.