Hopatcong Scouts Fight Obesity, Earn Silver Award

The Cadette Girl Scouts of Troop 1050 in Hopatcong took action to increase awareness on obeisty by hosting a "Fitness Fun Day" on April 27. 

The event was open and free to the entire community at the Hopatcong Senior Center and was part of the scouts bid for their Silver Award (the highest award a Cadette girl scout can earn). 

The girls researched healthy recipes, snacks, exercises and incorporated it all into one event. Prior to the event, the members of Troop 1050 brainstormed possible participants and sought out donations of healthy snacks including bottled water and drinks, dried fruit, fresh fruit, low fat chips, crackers and cookies. Troop 1050 combined all of their collected donations and assembled them into giveaway bags that were handed out the day of the event. 

On event day, the Girl Scouts recruited volunteers to support the event, including a featured speaker - Joe Martinek, a Hopatcong community resident and Rutgers and NFL football New York Giants player to speak about the benefits of healthy living and lifestyle, two nurses from Morristown Medical Center provided free blood pressure and glucose screenings and a nutritional information display, a Zumba instructor came who led a 30 minute workout, as well as a "Flip Fitness" instructor.  Two volunteers were present from Impact Lacrosse and gave a demonstration of the sport and Gymnastics, Inc. sent a representative to encourage folks to come workout. 

All the while, attendees were free to move about to different exercise stations where they could toss a bean bag into a giant pineapple, jump rope, play hopscotch, kick a soccer ball, dribble a basketball or run a fruit relay race.  Interactive nutrition games were available which included a food pyramid challenge and a food guessing game. 

Approximately 75 people were in attendance and gave great feedback on their experience. The intent is for this event to continue annually, promoting awareness for Hopatcong to be healthy.