Fun Day Pushes Family Fitness

NEW PORT RICHEY - Families are invited to play together - and find out how to stay healthy together - at the Pasco Kids First second annual Family Fun Day on Saturday.

Old-fashioned, family oriented activities and games are set from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. at downtown Sims Park, just north of Main Street.

A fitness walk around Orange Lake, sponsored by the Pasco County Health Department, will take place throughout the day. And other activities are planned "to get the family moving together," said Kelly Maki, an event spokesperson.

After children complete the first lap of the walk, they'll fill out a ticket and be registered to win one of two bikes - a girl's or a boy's - at the end of the event.

While walking the half-mile path around the lake, youngsters can get their hips moving with a Hula-Hoop game, sack race or interactive skiing game, Maki said.

A disk jockey from Rock-N-Roll To Go will play dance music at the park's band shell to get the whole clan grooving.

The Tampa Bay Lightning mascot, ThunderBug, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers cheerleaders will drop by for a meet and greet.

Youngsters will enjoy a variety of activities provided by the Rotary Club of Trinity, Childhood Development Services, the Pasco-Hernando Early Learning Coalition, All Children's Hospital, the Safe Kids Pasco Council, YMCA of the Suncoast and other organizations. The Junior Service League will present a Children's Village.

For $3, young people of all ages can enjoy "all-you-can-play" inflatable games.

"The idea is to promote a healthy family from the inside out," said Rick Hess, executive director of Pasco Kids First. "By having all of these interactive activities for the entire family, we are promoting the family being active together."

Parents can learn about child safety from the Pasco County Sheriff's Office Missing and Abducted Child Unit, the New Port Richey Fire Department and other agencies. In the afternoon, sheriff's deputies will put their canine partners through their paces.

Pasco Kids First helps protects youngsters from the devastating effects of child abuse, while partnering with other local agencies to provide services to children and their families. Through community education and early intervention, Pasco Kids First promotes a healthy and nurturing family environment.

For information on the event, call (727) 845-8080 or visit www.pascokidsfirst .org.