Winter Break Sports Camps for Kids by Emory Total Sports Academy

http://www.etctennis.com/winter.php

Emory Total Sports Academy is happy to announce that we will be running 2 - three day INDOOR camp sessions in December and January for kids 4-17 years old.

Holiday season can be a hectic time of the year with little chance for your kids to blow off steam. Well, we have just the right program to make sure your kids stay active through the holiday season!

When is camp:
Session #1: December 27-29, 2008
10:00am-4:00pm.

We will offer extended care to 5:00pm

Session #2: January 2-4, 2009
10:00am-4:00pm.

We will offer extended care to 5:00pm

What will they do:
Our 1st priority is to get these kids (4-17 years) moving and active. We will be offering indoor tennis, basketball, and soccer. Our campers will be rotating among these 5 stations throughout the course of the day. The mornings will be spent teaching the proper fundamentals, and the afternoons will be dedicated to playing games in the various sports.

Cost:
Because the holiday season can be so busy and tough to work out schedules, we are offering 1, 2, and 3 day camp packages for your convenience. However, because we are indoors, we have limited space, so if you are planning on signing up, please do so quickly to reserve your spot.

1 day- $50
2 day- $90
3 day- $120
1 hour extended care- $10 per day

Contact Information: Tyson Ramsay
Emorytennisclinics@gmail.com
404-218-4363

Men's Health Fit Schools

Men's Health Magazine does a nice job promoting health & fitness to adult males. It's nice to see them start a campaign targeted to "fit schools": http://www.menshealth.com/fitschools/

They have a "fit schools" blog that hasn't updated in a while, but the blog does have a good "Related Links" section on the right side: http://mhfitschools.menshealth.com/

Here's more info.:

Fighting Obesity One School at a Time
The Men's Health FitSchools Foundation aims to reform physical education, end childhood obesity, and save a generation. More than 9 million children in the United States are overweight, yet gym classes are fading. Less than one in 10 schools meets federal exercise requirements.

Our Mission
The Men's Health FitSchools Initiative helps fight childhood obesity by improving physical education. With support from fit-minded companies and leading youth fitness experts, Men's Health provides the resources and information necessary to ensure students a healthy, active life.

5 Principles of MH FitSchools
-Help schools build a safe, inclusive, and accepting environment for physical activity.
-Make fitness a fun and engaging experience that kids will look forward to.
-Introduce kids to a variety of activities, so every child has the opportunity to enjoy exercise.
-Give kids the knowledge to improve every minute outside school, and throughout the rest of their lives.
-Inspire schools and communities to take control of their health, and work together to find solutions that will help at-risk children.

Dec 9 - DRC Renovation Public Meeting

Decatur Recreation Center Renovation Public Meeting
7 - 9 pm, Tuesday, December 9th
231 Sycamore St.

Meeting to be held at Rec. Center Social Room. Come and give your feedback and comments for the renovation of the recreation center, which opened to the public in March of 1959.

FYI: Softball Camp '09

No one in Decatur knows softball like Decatur High Coach Gary Anderson!

Coach “A” Softball Skills Camp
Dates: June 8-12, 2009
Location: Oakhurst Park, Decatur, GA 30030
Times: 8:45 am - 2:00 pm
Cost: $175 City of Decatur residents; $195 Non-residents

Contact: Gary Anderson, 404-307-5129
Assistant Coach Emory University, Assistant Coach Decatur High School

Park Renewal Day: The Best Day Ever

Photograph's Courtesy of Philzenner.com Nature Photography

The 1st Annual Park Renewal Day was an overwhelming success. This was a joint venture by Renewal Construction, DeKalb County Parks & Recreation/Greenspace Office, and the City of Decatur Active Living Division.

11 teams and over 100 participants took part in cleaning up Dearborn Park, a DeKalb County park partially located within the City of Decatur. The teams worked extremely hard to remove invasive plants. The big surprise was how much trash the teams founds and hauled up to the waiting county dump trucks (an oven, car axles, etc., etc.).

The 1st place team, with a $1000 prize, was "Invasive & Pursuasive". The 2nd place team, with a $500 prize, was "Ivy League". The 3rd place team, with a $350 prize, was the city's own "Decatur Bulldawg Booster Club". 4th place, with a $250 prize, was Decatur's own "Kudzu Krunchers", representing the Glenn Creek Nature Preserve.

This event would not have been possible without the generousity of Renewal Construction owner Peter Michelson. Also, Charlie Monroe of DeKalb County Parks & Recreation and Dave Butler of the DeKalb County Greenspace Office, did fantastic, yeoman's work to get the park ready and train the participants.

Big thanks to Philzenner.com Nature Photography for taking great pictures. You have to see the before and after photo's to appreciate the amazing work done at the park:

http://www.zennerenterprises.com/park_renewal_day_-_before_and_after

Click here for the "Off and Running" Gallery:

http://www.zennerenterprises.com/park_renewal_day_-_off_and_running

Click here for the "Tote that Load" Gallery:

http://www.zennerenterprises.com/park_renewal_day_-_tote_that_load

Click here for the "Lift that Bail" Gallery:

http://www.zennerenterprises.com/park_renewal_day_-_lift_that_bail

Click here for the "Awards and Judging" Gallery:

http://www.zennerenterprises.com/awards_judging_and_group_shots

A special thanks to our celebrity judges: Gary Pfeiffer of the DeKalb Co. Extension Service, DeKalb County Commission Jeff Rader, State Representative Stephanie Stuckey Benfield, and Decatur's own football legend, who player cornerback for 13 years in the NFL for the Cleveland Browns, a Pro Bowler, and Trinity High School's own Clarence Scott.

Check back next fall for information on the 2nd Annual Park Renewal Day!

Decatur Assistant City Manager Hugh Saxon working hard:

Health & Fitness News & Notes

TIPS FOR FAMILY FITNESS FUN
Everyone knows that it is important to turn off the TV, DVD, Gameboys etc. in order to prevent the development of childhood obesity. But without their "screens" available, many children complain that they are bored. With this in mind, Shape Up America! and Sweet 'N Low have partnered on a set of ideas for parents to use to help children become more active and live a healthier lifestyle. Lists of tips are available at http://www.shapeup.org/fittips/index.php

LAUNCHING MYPYRAMID FOR PRESCHOOLERS
MyPyramid for Preschoolers was launched on October 26th by the United States Department of Agriculture. It is designed for children 2 to 5 years of age. You can do many things to help children develop healthy eating habits for life. Visit the web at http://www.mypyramid.gov/preschoolers/index.html to access this newly added resource to USDA's MyPyramid.gov.

NATIONAL PHYSICAL ACTIVITY PLAN
http://www.physicalactivityplan.org/

INVESTMENT IN BICYCLING AND WALKING WILL SAVE BILLIONS
On November 4th the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy presented the "Active Transportation for America" report to Congress via Rep. James Oberstar (D-Minn.), who serves as the Chairman of the House Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure. The report quantifies - for the first time - the national benefits of bicycling and walking. Putting figures to facts, the report documents the transportation, energy, climate, public health, and economic benefits of bicycling and walking. Read more here. The full report is at http://www.railstotrails.org/whatwedo/trailadvocacy/atfa/index.html.
[Source: Parks and Recreation Weekly News Brief, November 4, 2008]

BICYCLE COMMUTER ACT PASSES HOUSE, SENATE
Bicycle commuters will now be extended similar benefits to people who take transit or drive to work - an incentive to encourage greater energy independence, improve air quality and health, and even help tackle climate change. Check with www.bikeleague.org as they work on the implementation process.

NEW PHYSICAL ACTIVITY GUIDELINES
The US Department of Health and Human Services has published guidelines that outline exercise recommendations for healthy adults and older adults and are an update from the 1995 guidelines. These recommendations are designed so people can easily fit physical activity into their daily plan and incorporate activities they enjoy. They are based on the first thorough review of scientific research about physical activity and health in more than a decade. There are several websites offering information on these guidelines:
http://www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity/everyone/index.html
http://www.health.gov/PAGuidelines/
ACSM and AHA Guidelines
http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2008pres/10/20081007a.html

HEALTH & FITNESS RESEARCH ARTICLES
From the University of South Carolina Arnold School of Public Health:
http://prevention.sph.sc.edu/updates/index.htm

Whole Lot Goin' On in the 30030

Saturday - Free CPR Class by Decatur Fire Dept.
The Decatur Fire Department will be hosting a CPR Saturday on November 15, 2008, from 8:30am to 2:30pm at City Hall. This program is free to all City of Decatur residents, employees, and their families. Class space is limited. For more information, please contact:
Tim Hatcher
Assistant Fire Chief
404-370-4168
Tim.hatcher@decaturga.com

http://www.parkrenewalday.com/
Saturday, Nov. 15th, 9 am to 1 pm
Registration: 8 to 8:15 am
Dearborn Park, Deerwood Dr. at Midway Rd., Decatur, GA

Decatur Red Hatters Trip
Join The Decatur Red Hatters on Thursday, Nov. 13th for their trip to the famous and very Southern Blue Willow Inn, Social Circle, Georgia. $20 covers dinner, transportation and gratuity. They will also visit the new Blue Willow Village, which has just opened.
For more information on the trip or the Red Hatters, please contact Chris Lewis, 678-553-6547.

Nov 15 - "Understanding Botanical Names" at Woodlands Garden
http://www.decaturpreservationalliance.org/woodlandsgarden/
Please join us for "Understanding Botanical Names"
Saturday, November 15, 9 to 11:30 a.m.
Woodlands Garden, 920 Scott Boulevard, Decatur 30030
$25 per person

Decatur Recreation Center Renovation Public Meeting
7 - 9 pm, Tuesday, December 9th
Meeting to be held at Rec. Center Social Room-Come and give your feedback and comments for the renovation of the recreation center, which opened to the public in March of 1959.

Decatur Winterguard!
Sundays at the Ebster Rec. Center, 404 West Trinity
Please e-mail decaturwinterguard@gmail.com for information.
Winterguard is know as the "Sport of the Arts": http://wgi.org/about/whatiswgi.php.
It's a great activity for high school and middle school students.

Join the Yahoo Group for Decatur Safe Routes to School:
http://health.groups.yahoo.com/group/DecaturSafeRoutestoSchool/
To subscribe, just send an e-mail to:
DecaturSafeRoutestoSchool-subscribe@yahoogroups.com