Decatur Parks & Recreation

Decatur Walks & Rolls to School!

March 2, 2011 by saraeholmes 1 Comment

Walking to School at Clairemont Elementary

Today is GA Walk to School Day and the City of Decatur Schools participated in a big way – Clairemont Elementary School was the featured school for the state! Clairemont was the pilot school for the state’s SRTS program in 2005 and it has had a great history of children walking and biking to school.

Today, as the featured school, Principal Wheeler had an “enhanced” morning assembly program to recognize the work of the parents, teachers and especially the children who have embraced the program. Dignitaries from around the city and state attended and handed out stickers to the children as well as spoke at the assembly. A special video was shown that featured Clairemont children talking about walking and biking to school. We will post the video here by the end of the week.

Melvin Whitlock Leads a Walking School Bus

Principal Wheeler with "the Bike Dude" and "the Shoe Dude"

Principal Wheeler with "Dignitaries"

This young lady rides her unicycle to school!

Lots of Bike Riders!

Mayor Floyd and Commissioner Boykin Greet Carol Kachadoorian from Florida

Filed under Decatur Parks & Recreation

March is National Nutrition Month!

March 1, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

March is National Nutrition Month and this year’s theme is “Eat Right with Color”. Growing up, I always heard that the more color you have on your plate, the more nutritious and balanced your meal was. Turns out Mom was right!

Try making a Rainbow Fruit Salad: Combine in a bowl: 1 mango, peeled, pitted and cubed, 1 cup blueberries or red grapes, 1 cup melon cubed, 1 banana sliced and 1/2 cup orange juice. Pour the juice over the fruit and stir. Serve at room temperature and enjoy with three more friends (the recipe serves 4).

For some Nutrition games to play while enjoying your snack, click here.

Do you have some colorful, favorite recipes to share? Send them in and share with the rest of us!

For more information about National Nutrition Month, click here.

Eat healthy and stay active in Decatur.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with City of Decatur Active Living, Eat Right with Color, National Nutrition Month

Spring Playbook Available On-Line

March 1, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

The coveted Spring edition of the “Playbook” is now available on the city website. Why, you may ask, is this edition coveted? It contains information on Spring Break and Summer Camps offered by Children and Youth Services and Decatur Active Living!

A hard copy will be included in the March FOCUS, but if you can’t wait, then drop by the Rec Center and pick up a copy, or read it on the website.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with Decatur Active Living, Playbook

GA Walk to School Day Tomorrow

March 1, 2011 by saraeholmes 1 Comment

The 2nd annual GA Walks to School Day is tomorrow and we are proud that Clairemont Elementary is going to be the featured school for the state! Clairemont has one of the longest running Safe Routes to School Programs in Georgia, dating back to 2005 when it was a pilot school.

Thanks to the work of the parents at the school, the number of children walking and biking to school continues to increase. The state of Georgia is number two in childhood obesity, and walking and biking is just one of many ways to help to combat that epidemic.

Be on the lookout in the morning for children all over Decatur who will be participating in “walking school buses” and “bike trains” on their way to and from school. Children at Clairemont will be greeted by special visitors from both the local and state level, including Mayor Bill Floyd who will say a few words about the importance of walking at their morning assembly.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living, GAWalks Day, Safe Routes to School

Healthy Monday- Take Five For Fitness

February 28, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

It’s easy to squeeze 2 ½ hours of weekly activity into your schedule! Start this Monday by taking five-minute fitness breaks throughout the day. Smaller bursts of movement won’t seem as daunting but will still have an impact.

For more fitness and health ideas from The Monday Campaign, click here.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with Decatur Active Living, Healthy Monday

Lifelong Communities- Integrating Transportation Options for Older Adults

February 26, 2011 by Gael Doyle Leave a comment

This past week Active Living staff members (Gregory White and Cheryl Burnette) attending this training to learn the latest on integrating transportation options for older adults. The training was organized by the Atlanta Regional Commission and held at Piedmont Hospital. Topics discussed: The Role of Transportation in Lifelong Communities, Access for Older Adults: A Public Health Issue, Walking the Walk and Innovative Tools to Increase Access.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with City of Decatur, Decatur Active Living

Get Outside- It is a Beautiful Day!

February 25, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

After lunch , I had some errands to run, so I took to the streets. Seems like others had the same idea- ditch the wheels and get in a walk to enjoy the weather. Here are some random shots I took of folks out enjoying the day.

Walking to the MARTA station

Visitors Walking the City

You don’t have to go to the gym or take an exercise class to fit in physical activity- all you need is a pair of shoes and a safe fun place to walk. Come on out and take a walk!

Walking to Lunch

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with Walk Decatur

Go Mighty Pythons!

February 24, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

Enjoy this great video of the Mighty Pythons Basketball Team that plays at the Decatur Rec Center. The film speaks volumes about our youth!

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with Decatur Active Living, Mighty Pythons, Youth Basketball

Tour of Homes Proceeds Presented to Decatur Youth Fund and the Decatur Preservation Alliance

February 23, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

Mayor Pro Tem Jim Baskett presented checks for $4500 each to the Decatur Youth Fund and the Decatur Preservation Alliance at last night’s City Commission meeting. The money is from proceeds of the annual Decatur Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes held last December. Susan Cobleigh accepted the check for the DPA and Greg White and Cheryl Burnette accepted the money for the Decatur Youth Fund.

Thanks to the families who opened up their homes for the Tour of Homes and all the volunteers who make the event possible.

Filed under City of Decatur Tagged with Decatur Holiday Candlelight Tour of Homes, Decatur Preservation Alliance, Decatur Youth Fund

Mayor Floyd Plants a Tree

February 18, 2011 by saraeholmes Leave a comment

This morning, Mayor Floyd joined Greg Levine and volunteers from Trees Atlanta and the Nalley Tree Campaign to plant trees at the Decatur Cemetery and at Glenlake Park. Over 100 trees were planted along the stream bank, in the cemetery and other areas around the park.