Spinning for health

Members, friends and employees from 15 Halifax-area GoodLife gyms are getting ready to spin, groove and move to support programs helping kids be more physically active.

Spin4Kids Plus is a one-day fitness fundraiser on March 5 to raise money to support the GoodLife Kids Foundation’s grant program and GoodLife4Kids school program.

Participants join in teams of eight and take turns in a one-hour spin class. There will also be a series of group fitness classes.

“There will be people there who’ve probably never even been on a spin bike or been to a spin class,” said Cynthia Baird, one of the GoodLife Kids coaches.

This year marks the fifth anniversary of the national fundraiser. GoodLife is hoping to raise $1 million nationwide.

To date, the GoodLife Kids Foundation has helped more than 235,000 Canadian children. The grant program is focused on providing ongoing physical activity opportunities for children with special needs.

The GoodLife4Kids school program officially launched in September 2015 and is operating in 75 schools across the country. The program aims to inspire a lifelong-love of physical fitness among grade four students as physical activity among students at that age tends to really drop off.

This year, six local schools benefitted from the program, including: École Rockingham School, Millwood Elementary, Beaver Bank-Kinsac Elementary, Smokey Drive Elementary, Astral Drive Elementary and St. Boniface School.

“It’s about getting the kids excited about fitness, to introduce them to different things they can do to become fit,” said Baird.

According to Participation, a group advocating for more physical activity among Canadians, only nine per cent of children ages five to 17 are getting the recommended 60 minutes physical activity per day.

“These kids need more time where they can be physically active and they certainly benefit from the oppourtunity,” said Baird.

Baird said the kids love the program so much that during the holidays, she received gifts from the kids who said they enjoyed the program so much.

The event runs from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Halifax World Trade and Convention Centre.

For more information, visit: www.spin4kids.com.