Sayto the Fit for Life Triathlon!

Relive the hugely successful Fit for Life Triathlon! On May 14, 2011, over 1000 community members celebrated fitness and healthy choices as students in the Club Yes After School Program competed in 4 events:  Bicycling, Track, Dance and Art at Lions Town & Country Park.  

Madera has some disturbing health statistics to address if we want to ensure the wellbeing of our youth.

v 37% of our children are identified as overweight or obese which is slightly higher than the state average.

v Because of our obesity rate, one out of 3 of our children are expected to develop Type II Diabetes in their lifetime – for children of color, that rate increases to 1 out of 2 children!

v 86% of our children state that they never exercise.

v Our children are looking at a future filled with devastating health issues: diabetes, heart disease and high blood pressure.

v The US Surgeon General’s Office has stated that obesity is now the fastest growing cause of illness and death in America today. 

Club YES, the After School Program supported by the Madera County Office of Education, decided this was not a future we could live with. In an effort to turn this dismal situation into an opportunity to ensure the health of our children, Club YES Staff approached the community for help in educating families about the seriousness of our situation.  The end result was a partnership among 25 community organizations, including cosponsorship of the Fit for Life Triathlon between Club YES and the City of Madera Parks and Community Services.

Did you miss the biggest event of the year?!  Don’t worry, check out the movie to experience the excitement of being Fit for Life.