MPO hosts successful Family Fitness Night
MAPLETON NEWS
by Jennifer Buzza
The Mapleton Parent Organization sponsored a hugely successful Family Fitness Night Thursday, March 18. Nearly 200 students and family members attended the evening, which began with a light supper of sub sandwich slices, fruit, and bottled water served by members of the Presque Isle High School National Honor Society.
Guest speaker Martha Bell, community education specialist from Healthy Aroostook, a project of the Aroostook County Action Program, addressed the families, speaking on the importance of the “5210” program. According to their Web site, www.letsgo.org, Let’s Go! is a community-based initiative to promote healthy lifestyle choices for children, youth and families. The goal is to increase physical activity and healthy eating for children and youth from birth to 18. While holding up each of the four numbers, she reminded everyone about the five servings of fruits and vegetables a day, limiting recreational TV or computer use to two hours a day, getting one hour or more of physical activity every day, and drinking more milk and water and zero sugary drinks. The organization will be focusing on each of the four numbers of “5210” starting this month and going through the month of June. She provided handouts for everyone to take home, explaining the program with ideas and suggestions for success. Following her presentation, families were divided into small groups to rotate among the six stations.
Mike Smith, development coach from the Maine Winter Sports Center, provided a display promoting outdoor spring activities, which included mountain biking, backpacking and kayaking. He had a couple of hands-on activities for the families to participate in and provided numerous handouts, including a physical activity resource guide for Aroostook County and a list of suggestions for outdoor spring and summer adventures.
Leslie Smith, a certified pilates instructor and massage therapist from County Physical Therapy, taught families how to properly use their “power house,” a pilates term, which is the part of the body from the shoulders to the hips. Attendees learned how to balance on one foot and, on mats, sat with knees tucked to safely roll their spine.
Stephanie Caverhill, of Northern Wellness, taught a few Zumba exercises. Zumba incorporates dances from around the world, using Latin rhythms and easy-to-follow moves to create a fitness workout. While dancing to music, children and adults learned fun, energetic steps to two different typical Zumba songs.
Andy LeBlanc, of LeBlanc’s Karate, set up an obstacle course, balance beam and reaction ball activity in the gymnasium. After explaining that “focus” is a large part of martial arts, he separated each group into smaller groups to rotate among the three stations around the gym.
Robbie Krul of the Dutch Soccer Academy gave each child and adult a soccer ball to learn dribbling techniques. They practiced moving the ball around the gym using the inside and outside of their foot. For one activity, he gave a few students jerseys to wear as they tried to kick an opponent’s ball out of bounds. This gave the others a chance to work on keeping the ball away using a “pull back” technique.
Students Madelyn Carson, Casey Carson and Elizabeth Wright, from the National Honor Society at Presque Isle High School, led the Dance Dance Revolution station. Students took turns standing on a mat that was plugged into a large screen in front of them. The object was to follow the steps projected on the screen from a DVD, all while set to music.
Each student in grades pre-K through grade 3 received a jump rope and students in grades 4 and 5 received pedometers, all compliments of the Mapleton Parent Organization. Those students all received a chart to fill out at home using their jump rope or pedometer to track their jumps and steps. Those charts will be collected by the teachers each week so the jumps and steps can be calculated into miles to see how far being active can take them!
The Mapleton Parent Organization would like to thank all of the demonstrators, in addition to Martha Bell, Carol Bell, Subway of Presque Isle, Holly Johnson, National Honor Society students Nate Ackerson, Casey Carson, Madelyn Carson, Laurel Curtis, Steven Goulet, Jessi Lucas, Caleb Mathers, Jessica Stepp, Elizabeth Wright and Emily Wright, and a local business for the water donation. The evening was full of healthy food, physical activity and tons of fun, thanks, in part, to all that donated their time and talents! Thank you!
STUDENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES had the opportunity to learn a few Zumba dance steps from Northern Wellness instructor Stephanie Caverhill. The Mapleton Parents Organization sponsored the successful Family Fitness Night that was attended by nearly 200.
FIRST-GRADE STUDENT Rebecca Rider practices her balancing ability during a demonstration by LeBlanc’s Karate at Mapleton Elementary School’s Family Fitness Night. The object was to walk on the balance beam while focusing on a star on the wall at the end of the beam.
TYLER TRASK, a fifth-grade student at Mapleton Elementary School, tests his dancing ability on a Dance Dance Revolution mat at Family Fitness Night. Students in grades pre-K through third grade went home with a jump rope and fourth- and fifth-grade students were given a pedometer, compliments of the Mapleton Parent Organization.
THE SJOBERG FAMILY takes part in a pilates demonstration during Family Fitness Night at the Mapleton Elementary School. Certified Pilates Instructor Leslie Smith taught families how to sit with knees tucked to roll the spine. Pictured are, from left: Emily, Kevin and Sue Sjoberg.
COACH ROBBIE KRUL of the Dutch Soccer Academy demonstrates a tricky balancing soccer technique during Family Fitness Night at the Mapleton Elementary School.
MARTHA BELL, community education specialist from Healthy Aroostook, a project of the Aroostook County Action Program, addressed the families, speaking on the importance of the “5210” program. She held up each number to remind the families what each represented and encouraged involvement during Mapleton Elementary School’s Family Fitness Night.
Birthday wishes this week go out to Karley Hoffses, Junior Bernier, Jill Ireland, Julie Brown, Elizabeth Richardson, Sarah McEachern, Martin Johndro, Rachael Millard, Helen Finnemore, Elizabeth Doyen, Randy Stephenson, Isaac Currier, Walter St. Peter Jr., Wayne Matthew Bushey, Geneva Archer, Mike Perkins Jr., Louise Boucher, Alma Libby, Stacey Smith, Isaac Clark and Katelyn Michaud.
Happy Anniversary to Gordon and Charlene Buzza on the 29th.
Several local residents celebrating a birthday in March gathered at the Pizza House Sunday, March 14 for a party. Twenty-five people attended and enjoyed lunch, birthday cake and ice cream. Honorees were serenaded with a round of “Happy Birthday” and everyone received a green lei to wear while others had fun with party horns. Those celebrating birthdays were Ticky Allen, Helen Finnemore, Arlene Baker, Carla Carney, Roxie Putnam, Chad Putnam, Jackie Putnam and Marilyn Putnam.
MAPLETON RESIDENTS celebrating March birthdays recently enjoyed a party at the Pizza House. Another year older are, front row, from left: Ticky Allen, Helen Finnemore, Arlene Baker and Carla Carney. Back row: Roxie Putnam, Chad Putnam, Jackie Putnam and Marilyn Putnam.
The United Methodist Church will be hosting its weekly luncheon Friday, March 26 at 11:30 a.m. All are welcome to attend.
The Mapleton Methodist Church will be sponsoring a Family Fun Night every Friday night at the church. This week’s family night will be March 26 at 6:30 p.m.
Jennifer Buzza is the correspondent for Mapleton, Castle Hill and Chapman. She can be reached at 760-9115, or by e-mail at jbuzza@ainop.com.
