Leading a healthy lifestyle

HARLINGEN — It’s another year of health, wellness and good cheer.

As the new school year picks up steam, the Harlingen school district is sending a message to the community about the importance of a healthy lifestyle.

That message is being delivered with its 4th Annual Health and Wellness Kickoff.

The event will take place Monday, Sept. 12, at J. Lewis Boggus Stadium, from 6 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.

“We do this every year in September,” said Luis Solorio, coordinator of athletics and wellness.

“We want them to develop a lifestyle to keep healthy and well.”

The first stop will be the Aquatic Center next door to Boggus Stadium. Valley Baptist Medical Center, Harlingen Family Dentistry, the American Heart Association and other organizations will have tables and booths set up in the gym.

They’ll hand out information about healthy living. Some will give out healthy snacks such as fruit, while others will address the importance of drinking enough water by giving away free water bottles. There also will be vitamin samples.

Then, visitors will head next door to Boggus Stadium.

“They can go out to the track and run in the three inner laps or walk the four outside laps,” Solorio said.

Kids will have plenty of activities to give them a workout. They’ll get to run obstacle courses made of cones and they’ll compete in sack races. They’ll also play jump rope or tic-tac-toe with hula hoops.

Tic-tac-toe with hula hoops? How do you …

“You put them on the ground in the shape of a tic-tac-toe,” Solorio said. “You use bean bags. One kid runs and puts a bean bag in the hula hoop. Another kid goes and puts a bag in another hula hoop. You have them playing at the same time.”

The event is free and open to the public, and it will include free T-shirt give-aways and prizes. Mascots from the different schools in the district also will be at the event.