News Release - Community-Driven Back to School “Health, Wellness and Fitness Boost” to be Held at Ryan R-Center
City of Rochester
News Release
Attn. Editors: Excellent Photo Opportunity
(Friday, Aug. 26, 2016) – More than 50 community organizations, business owners and residents have pooled their resources together to create “The Investment: Back to School Health, Wellness and Fitness Boost,” event to prepare Rochester youth for the upcoming school year.
The free event, presented by Eazywork Bartendaz, in collaboration with City of Rochester R-Centers and the Blessings in a Bookbag Community Project will be held from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday, Aug. 27 at the Thomas P. Ryan R-Center, 530 Webster Ave.
Eazywork is a community based physical fitness movement with a focus on self-empowerment. Blessings in a Bookbag is a new initiative formed by Rochester residents and business owners seeking to provide resources for youth and encourage kids to have a successful school year. The group includes 13-year old Zaire Downs of Rochester, who organized a peace walk for youth earlier this summer. Zaire will be giving away dozens of pairs of sneakers that he collected over the summer as a way to give kids confidence heading back to school.
“The Investment event is exactly as its name states,” said Mayor A. Lovely Warren. “It’s wonderful to see so many people in Rochester come together to put on what will be an encouraging event for kids as they close out summer and head back to the classroom. Events like this bolster our efforts to create safer more vibrant neighborhoods, more jobs and better educational opportunities for youth in our community.”
Children and families may participate in outdoor exercise with Get Fit with Jay, yoga with Ballet Afrikana and a calisthenics expo with the Bartendaz fitness team. Other activities include flag football, a mini basketball tournament, a dunk tank and field games. A limited number of free haircuts will be provided by Kenady Entertainment and the MADD Cutz Barbershop. Lunch will be provided and free book bags with supplies will be given to school-aged children attending the event, while supplies last. Haircuts vouchers, a gift pack from Healthi Kids, tickets to a Rochester Rhinos game, and other gifts will be raffled off.
Foodlink’s Curbside Market will be on hand with fresh produce and Eat Smart NY will provide healthy cooking demonstrations on site. Participants may visit the Rochester Fire Department’s Fire Safety House and learn about educational opportunities with the Career Pathways to Public Safety program. Role models from the community, such as doctors from the Black Physician’s Network of Greater Rochester, teachers, entrepreneurs, local boxing champ Willie Monroe, Jr., rising boxing star Saadiq Muhammad and other accomplished athletes will greet children and provide encouragement for the school year. “REX,” the Rochester Rhinos’ mascot and other costumed characters will be on hand.
Additional event sponsors and presenters at The Investment: Back to School Health, Wellness and Fitness Boost are as follows: Aries Ball Group; Bartendaz NYC; Belle Cheveux Salon; BLACK; Black Billionaire; Block Life Apparel; Bossy Styles Hair Salon; Brittney Crews; Brother & Sister Unisex Salon; BXB Brick By Brick; Candies by Me; Carlton Wilcox Live; CG’s House of Bounce; Charleston House; Children’s Gallery Salon; Cute & Cuddly Childcare; Cute Tips; DaVine Hair Designs; Dream Cutz of the ROC; 4life Clothing; Generation Youth; Headlinerz Barber Shop; Inovation3 ; Kendra Hernandez; Kiddie City Daycare; Lanos Hair Design; #MOG Man of God Movement; Natoshe Horton Holt; Precious Hernandez; Roc Royal Entertainment; Smilez ENT.; Sophisticuts; Supreme Saadiq; TLC Production; Tre’s Place Barber Shop; Tummies & Tennis Shoes; Visions Barber Shop; WXIR Extreme Independent Radio; Zory; and Zee’s Tees.
-30-
News Media: For more information, contact Press Officer Jessica Alaimo, 428-7135.