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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

Charging Up for a Healthy Summer with the Summit Area YMCA

Summer is just around the corner and with it children’s break from the routine—mornings spent sleeping in, afternoons spent watching television or playing video games in the cool air conditioning and evenings enjoying a nice ice cream cone before bed. It may sound great, but a summer spent like this can have lasting negative effects.

Kids are less physically active and engaged in learning during the summer months and research shows that children gain weight two to three times faster than during the school year. In addition to that, kids can fall behind academically because they don’t have access to out-of-school learning opportunities.

With this in mind, on Saturday, April 29 from 1:00PM to 4:00PM at the Berkeley Heights YMCA and 3:00PM to 5:00PM at the Summit YMCA, join us to celebrate Healthy Kids Day! Healthy Kids Day is a state-wide YMCA Initiative that encourages children and their families to stay active and enforce healthy habits. The event will be celebrated at both the Summit YMCA and Berkeley Heights YMCA Branches, each with varying activities revolving around health and wellness.

The YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day® is an annual, national initiative to improve the health and well-being of kids and families. When a child is healthy, happy, motivated and excited, amazing things are bound to happen. Healthy Kids Day is a powerful reminder not to let children idle away their summer days but instead, focus on physical and mental play. Across the nation nearly 1.2 million participants will partake in games, healthy cooking demonstrations, arts and crafts and more.

At the Summit YMCA, families will be able to partake in safety and first aid workshops, nutritional dietician demos and tastings, healthy food vendors with samples, obstacle course, face painting, health fair, vendor tables, rock wall, music, CATCH games, kids gym, foot darts and more. A family scavenger hunt will also provide a chance for families to win prizes from the New York Giants, New York Jets, Somerset Patriots, New Jersey Jackals and more!
At the Berkeley Heights YMCA, families will enjoy light refreshments and healthy snacks, arts and crafts, a Superhero & Princess meet and greet, Family Zumba-a-Thon, Family Yoga Time, an ambulance tour with the First Aid Squad, healthy living talk with local chiropractor Dr. DeFabio, raffle baskets, and even a lego competition!

“At the Y, we believe charged up kids really do achieve amazing things, and there are no days off for a child’s developing mind and body” said Paul Kieltyka, CEO & President of the Summit Area YMCA. “Through our strong presence and reach with children during summer months, the Healthy Kids Day platform is a great opportunity to educate families and engage kids to stay physically and intellectually active over the summer.”

In celebration of YMCA’s Healthy Kids Day, the Y offers the following tips to help families develop healthy habits:

• High Five the Fruits and Veggies – Make sure kids get at least five servings a day, the minimum number nutritionists recommend to maintain healthy childhood development. And to keep kids’ taste buds evolving, have everyone in the family try at least one bite of a new fruit or vegetable at least once a month.

• Foster an Early and Ongoing Passion for Books – Read to and with your kids. Help children read at every age and every stage of their development.

• Team Up for Athletic Events – Set a family goal of great health by teaming up for community or charity events like races, walks, fun runs, bike rides, etc.

• Volunteer Together – Find a cause that matters to the kids. Open their eyes to a world beyond themselves and the rich rewards that come from making a difference.

• Make sleep a priority – Doctors recommend 10-12 hours of sleep a day for children ages 5-12 and 7-8 hours per night for adults. Sleep plays a critical role in maintaining our healthy immune system, metabolism, mood, memory, learning and other vital functions.

All kids deserve the best summer ever, and Delta is proud to be the national sponsor of Healthy Kids Day, which kicks off a healthy, active and engaged summer for kids throughout the country.
Various local community organizations will also be participating and providing activities and exhibits supporting healthy living.

WHEN:   APRIL 29, SATURDAY

TIME:     SUMMIT YMCA: 3PM-5PM
              BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA: 1PM-4PM

WHERE: SUMMIT YMCA, 65 MAPLE STREET, SUMMIT NJ  07901 
             BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA, 550 SPRINGFIELD AVE
             BERKELEY HEIGHTS, NJ  07922 

COST:    FREE AND OPEN TO ALL

Join the Summit Area YMCA in a day of creative, challenging, smart, healthy fun!

The Summit Area YMCA is one of area’s leading 501c3 organizations. Our programs and services are open to all through our financial assistance programs made possible through the generosity of our members, donors, staff and partners. To help us help others, please make your donation today at www.thesay.org.

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SUMMIT AREA YMCA

BERKELEY HEIGHTS YMCA | SUMMIT YMCA | THE LEARNING CIRCLE YMCA

In 1886, we were founded as the Young Men’s Christian Association, but today, we are The Y; an association that values, and is made stronger by, its diverse people. We stand for youth development, healthy living and social responsibility — For a better us. We are committed to creating equal opportunity for all regardless of gender, age, disability, income, ethnicity, sexual orientation or religious affiliation. We strive to create a welcoming and inclusive culture in which our four core values — responsibility, honesty, caring and respect — are integral to everyday operations.

Each year, as one of the area’s leading 501(c)3 charitable organizations, the Summit Area YMCA serves more than 15,000 individuals with our free and fee-based programs and services in an area spanning the New Jersey communities of Berkeley Heights, Gillette, Millburn, New Providence, Short Hills, Springfield, Stirling and Summit. Our history is rooted in working side-by-side with our neighbors to ensure that everyone has the opportunity to learn, grow and thrive. Through the generosity of our members, donors, and partners, we are able to offer financial assistance for our programs and services to those in need.

Please note that the Hurst Pool at the Summit YMCA will be closed on Sunday, March 31, 2024 and will reopen on Monday, April 8, 2024 due to regularly scheduled maintenance. Group Ex Pro will reflect amended aquatics schedules.