First ever Community Fun Run being held Tuesday at St. Michael’s School

By Jeremy Appel on October 14, 2017.

jappel@medicinehatnews.com @MHNJeremyAppel

Medicine Hat is holding its first Community Fun Run Tuesday, encouraging young Hatters to get active.

The run will take place from 4:30-6 p.m. at St. Michael’s School, and is intended to celebrate the Medicine Hat chapter of the Alberta Medical Association Youth Run Club.

The free event was brought to Medicine Hat upon the request of local physician Amelia Correia, who wanted to encourage physical activity among young people.

Hayley Degaust, provincial projects co-ordinator for Edmonton-based Ever Active Schools, which hosts these events across the province, encouraged people to participate, regardless of their level of physical fitness.

“The Youth Run Club really promotes being active in a fun way and being active in your way, so whether the students and community come out and they’re running or just walking, if that’s all they’re able to do, the goal is to get people out there and active,” she said.

The hope is to eventually get all schools in town to participate. Currently, there are five involved, added Degaust.

Getting school children to participate in physical activity is not only good for their long-term health but helps them be better students.

“Bringing the program in, we’ve really seen changes within student behaviour in class, especially with our run clubs that run in the morning or at lunch, the rest of the day the kids seem to be more engaged in classes and staying active,” she said.

“We know that, as a society now, we see our kids go home and they’re on screens, so (we’re) trying to provide something to them that’s fun, and getting them up and active is always a great thing.”

For more information about the run or to sign up, visit http://www.amayouthrunclub.com/events/.