Giving kids an opening day of their own at Comerica Park
Adriane Davis
| 2 min read
For the second year in a row, local organizations are partnering with Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and the Detroit Tigers to give kids an opening day of their own at Comerica Park on Sunday, April 6, 2014.
Nearly 200 kids from Detroit PAL, Boys & Girls Clubs, HYPE Athletics and the YMCA will have the opportunity to join PAWS and the Tigers training staff for on-field activities and exercises. The activities demonstrate the importance and ease of incorporating activity into everyday life.
“We live in an age of video games, computers and busy schedules where traditional outdoor activities like baseball, soccer and basketball have taken a back seat to modern conveniences,” said Andy Hetzel, BCBSM vice president, Corporate Communications. “It’s becoming harder and harder to establish healthy behaviors at a young age, creating what has become a national epidemic. More and more kids are becoming overweight and obese, which can impact their physical health as well as their social and emotional health. Our efforts with the Tigers, Detroit PAL, Boys & Girls Clubs, HYPE Athletics and the YMCA signify our community-wide effort to reinforce healthy habits with our kids.”
Youth participants will participate in a number of on-field calisthenic exercises, led by PAWS and the Tigers’ training staff. The kids will also receive official T-shirts featuring the kids opening day logo, have the opportunity to run the base after the game and enjoy free rides on the carousel and Ferris wheel, sponsored by the Tigers Kids Club.
Research shows that healthy habits are formed at an early age, which is why over the last 10 years; BCBSM and Blue Care Network have invested more than $6 million in kids’ health and wellness initiatives across the state.
Photo credit: A Healthier Michigan
