Wednesday, December 12, 2012

GROWING HEALTHY KIDS' Founder Visits Boys and Girls Club


MOTIVATING KIDS TO TRY NEW FOODS is a challenge for parents.  At the first “Meet the Author” program held at the Sebastian Boys and Girls Club, Growing Healthy Kids founder Nancy Heinrich talked with kids about what inspired her to write Nourish and Flourish, her new book for parents about what kids (and parents) need to eat to stay at healthy weights.  According to Heinrich, “Parents pick up their kids from Growing Healthy Kids' education programs and the kids can’t stop talking about the great foods they learned to make.  We kept getting requests from parents to come up with a book for families to make it easier to eat better.  Their requests inspired us to write this book.” 

In a frank discussion with the kids about inspiration, Heinrich talked about the steps involved from taking an idea to a published book that all the kids got to see up close.  Her discussion prompted lots of young hands to go up in response to her questions to the kids about what ideas they have for writing their own books.  She offered several tips such as identifying a favorite pen or pencil to write with and taking ten minutes a day to write in a favorite notebook or journal.  Club Art Director Ella Chabot-Policare, who invited Heinrich to conduct the first “Meet the Author” program in November 2012, prompted the children to create artwork based on the Nourish and Flourish theme.  See below for the art of two Boys and Girls Club participants inspired by the first "Meet the Author" program






The best part of the "Meet the Author" program just might have been the snack Heinrich made for the children from one of the recipes in Nourish and FlourishArtichoke- Lemon Hummus served with fresh celery and carrots.  It was a big hit enjoyed by even the younger kids when they saw the eyes of their friends light up with delight and surprise as they had their first taste of the garbanzo bean dish and proclaimed it tasty and delicious!  Who knew it could be so much fun to eat healthy! 

Nourish and Flourish is available at amazon.com.

NOTE FROM NANCY:  We have a responsibility to protect the health - and lives - of our children.  We can reverse, prevent, and halt childhood obesity.  Be a role model for your children.  Eat less sugar.  Eat more breads and pastas with four or more grams of dietary fiber per serving.  Drink water, not soda.  Eat fruit and drink less fruit juice.  Take walks with your kids.  Love life.  Your children will thank you.  Their health and their lives depend on the choices you make for them.  


Tuesday, December 4, 2012

3 TIPS FOR GREAT BREAKFASTS



I believe in breakfast.  My uncle Griff, who lived in Long Beach, California, was a basketball and tennis coach at Long Beach State College.  Our family would drive south for the holidays every year and Uncle Griff would always prepare great breakfasts.  Cereals, eggs, pancakes, fresh fruit, orange juice.  He taught me that it is the meal that sets the tone for the day.  It gives you the edge.   It gives you brain power.  It gets you and your body ready to play and work for the day.

“Breaking the fast” after not eating all night resets your body’s metabolism to expect small amounts of energy every couple of hours.   Believe it or not, eating breakfast is one of the master keys to getting to - and staying at - a healthy weight. 

Here are 3 great tips you can use:
1.       Replace rolled oats with steel cut oats.   The traditional rolled oats are more processed than steel cut oats.   Always choose less processed foods for better health.  I love the “Bob’s Red Mill” brand because it cooks in about 15 minutes.  Add your favorite toppings.  My favorites are cinnamon, ground flax seed, a little agave nectar and fresh or frozen blueberries (for a brain boost). 
2.       Plan for on-the-run breakfasts when the kids oversleep on school days and soccer Saturdays.  Hard boil some eggs, keep bananas in the family fruit bowl, and let the kids choose a low sugar-high protein breakfast bar to keep on hand. 
3.       Don’t skip breakfast.  If you want to lose weight, you need to eat breakfast. Anything is better than nothing.  

Steel cut oats with cinnamon, agave nectar, and frozen blueberries.

So, what’s in your breakfast bowl? 

Peace,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder of the Growing Healthy Kids movement to halt, prevent, and reverse childhood obesity

Saturday, November 10, 2012

TROPICAL CARROT CAKES FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS (AND FAMILIES)

Parents, 

I often write about how much sugar we as Americans are eating (156 pounds a year - YIKES) and that too much sugar is the major contributor to our obesity crisis.  

Do most of us eat too much sugar?  Yes.  Is a little bit of sugar OK?  Yes.

A couple of weeks ago I entered the 3rd Annual Jeanne Graves Charity Cupcake Challenge, a benefit for the Michael J. Fox Foundation and a tribute to a mother who taught her daughters the love of baking in the family kitchen and lost her life to Parkinson's disease.  
Elliott Alley, an 8-year old student at Osceola Magnet School in Vero Beach, FL.


Meet Elliott Alley.  He and his parents stopped by our table for a sample.  Elliott's mom told me, "He is really, really picky and he doesn't eat vegetables."  I told Elliott I really would like his opinion because our cupcakes had carrots in them.  He surprised his parents by having a taste.  His parents were really surprised when he stated, "This is really good!"  

Many people stopped by our table for a sample and exclaimed how delicious, moist, and favorful they were. The cakes, featuring coconut and brown rice flours, got more rave reviews from many testers when they found out they are "gluten-free".  I talked with several people who talked about having family members who have celiac disease and cannot eat foods containing the protein in certain grains, like wheat, that trigger symptoms.  
Tropical Carrot Cakes before the cream cheese frosting.

We used carrot slices cut in the shape of a heart as a simple decoration.

So here is the recipe for Tropical Carrot Cakes for Growing Healthy Kids (and families) as featured in the 3rd Annual Jeanne Graves Charity Cupcake Challenge.  Enjoy!

TROPICAL CARROT CAKES

Cake Ingredients:

·         2 eggs + 2 egg whites
·         1/2 cup vegetable oil
·         ½ cup apple sauce
·         1 cup brown sugar
·         ½ cup agave nectar
·         1 8-oz. can of crushed pineapple
·         3 teaspoons vanilla extract, divided
·         1- ¾ cup brown rice flour
·         4 Tablespoons coconut flour
·         2 teaspoons baking soda
·         2 teaspoons baking powder
·         1/2 teaspoon salt
·         3 teaspoons ground cinnamon
·         1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
·         3 cups grated carrots, grate on larger side of cheese grater
·         1 cup chopped walnuts
      Frosting Ingredients:
·         8 oz. cream cheese, softened
·         3 cups confectioners' sugar
·         4 Tablespoons fresh orange juice
·         Fresh coconut, for garnish (optional)
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a large bowl, beat together eggs, oil, apple sauce, brown sugar, agave nectar, pineapple and vanilla. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir in carrots. Fold in walnuts. Pour into muffin tins lined with beautiful paper or foil liners. Fill each liner 3/4 full. Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 min. Let cupcakes cool completely. While cooling, prepare frosting.
Frosting: 
In a medium bowl, combine cream cheese, confectioners' sugar and 1 teaspoon juice*. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Spread frosting high on the cooled cupcakes.  Garnish with toasted coconut if desired.
*For demonstration purposes, Natalie’s Orchid Island Orange Juice was used in the preparation of this recipe.  

Epidemiologist Nancy Heinrich is best known as the founder of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., a nonprofit organization which creates solutions to the childhood obesity epidemic.  Her latest book is NOURISH AND FLOURISH: Kid-Tested and Approved Tips and Recipes to Prevent Diabetes (available at www.amazon.com).

Monday, October 22, 2012

NEW PARENT BOOK SOLUTION FOR SCHOOL SOCIAL WORKERS


When I am least expecting it, people share profound observations with me that remind me how valuable the mission of the Growing Healthy Kids movement to reverse, halt, and prevent childhood obesity is.  One of these was a sentinel event about five years ago that led to me making the decision to form a nonprofit organization focused on education projects and services. 

After giving a talk on preventable chronic diseases to a community organization, one of the audience members came up to talk with me.  She was a social worker at one of Indian River County’s elementary schools and was desperate for help with a student who was very overweight.  The social worker confided that the girl’s grades were slipping, she was skipping class, and she had a very low self-image of herself.  I started making calls to offer my knowledge and experience and found myself stuck in layers of school district bureaucracy.  It was a very frustrating experience that I have never forgotten. 

This led to me learning about the “food deserts” in some communities where there are no markets or stores within walking distance of where people live that sell fresh vegetables and fruits and where lack of transportation to large stores is also a barrier for kids having access to fresh foods.  I started looking at what America’s kids who get their breakfast and lunches in school are eating compliments of the USDA.  I was appalled to learn that elementary age kids get 30 minutes of physical education a week in school.   When I grew up, we had a regular P.E. class every day through high school.  I had to do something meaningful with my frustration over a little girl, who through no fault of her own, was extremely overweight and becoming more and more socially isolated. 

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization which has now reached thousands of kids and adults with our healthy cooking programs, education workshops, and educational websites.  The work, however, is just beginning because the numbers of children who are not at healthy weights are increasing. 

Educating parents is a critical step in solving the childhood obesity epidemic.   Someone you know wants to know how to help their kids.  You can help us educate parents with your purchase of the new book, NOURISH AND FLOURISH, filled with valuable tips, lists, and kid-tested recipes that put knowledge into the hands of parents.    All profits go to Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.  


Have a healthy day!
Nancy Heinrich
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.

Sunday, October 21, 2012

LOVING YOUR LAGOON EVENT EDUCATES KIDS ABOUT HEALTH


For a group of kids each seeking mentors to spend time with them for one year, one special day can be very meaningful.  Last Saturday, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., together with Florida Outdoor Center and Youth Guidance Mentoring and Activities Program, created the LOVING YOUR LAGOON event in Sebastian, Florida to bring together children and volunteers in beautiful Riverview Park. 

As in every Growing Healthy Kids event, the children participating in LOVING YOUR LAGOON received messages about the importance of physical fitness and eating real foods.  They also received a valuable lesson on environmental education by the wonderful Kristen Beck about our responsibility as stewards and protectors of our fragile Intracoastal Waterway, the Indian River Lagoon.   Kristen spoke about the dramatic losses of sea grass and the changes she is seeing in the water.  It was great to see the kids asking lots of questions.  

Kristen and husband Mike run an annual Summer Kids Kayak Camp from Florida Outdoor Center and are on the water every day.  She talked with the kids about the dramatic declines in sea life they observed this past summer.  The magnitude of these declines, their root causes, and their economic impact have yet to be responsibly addressed by local politicians and decision makers (note:  personal opinion) but the more kids see for themselves what is happening, the more we can engage the youth voice in solutions to ensure we have a healthy lagoon for all to enjoy. 

The high winds kept us from using individual kayaks last weekend but did not prevent the kids from getting out on the water in what I like to call Mike’s Big Boat.  It holds about ten people and is safe even in windy conditions.  For most of these kids, last Saturday was their first time to step into a kayak or canoe.  For the group of kids who saw the large dolphin jump completely out of the water about six feet off the bow of the boat, it was an experience they will never forget!  I heard the sounds of their surprise and delight from the long dock where I stood waiting for them to make the turn back to shore. 

We capped our morning of environmental education and paddling fitness with a bounty of fresh foods as the kids learned how to make Whole Food Pasta Salad and Veggie Wraps.   Both recipes featured fresh greens grown here in Indian River County by Kevin O’Dare, owner of Osceola Organics.  Thank you, Kevin, for contributing your beautiful salad mix to our LOVING YOUR LAGOON event and for helping us in our work to educate kids and parents about the importance of eating real foods.

It was a great morning with great kids, great learning, and great volunteers.  Wow!!  Enjoy the pics!
First stop of LOVING YOUR LAGOON - orientation with Kristen Beck of Florida Outdoor Center

Kristen Beck with kids at one of the interpretative stops

Engaging the kids in active learning to erase their nature deficits.  

Some of the kids posing with the statute of Paul Kroegel, first protector of the birds on Pelican Island.  

Kristen Beck talking about the dramatic losses of sea grass

Can you say, "white caps"?  

Kristen Beck with Haile, one of the kids at LOVING YOUR LAGOON.

Greg (left) from Florida Outdoor Center helps get the kids safely back to shore.  

Volunteer Marcia Nesbitt enjoying the calming winds. 

Kids learning to make the delicious pasta salad dressing using fresh squeezed lemons.  Healthy eating is so much fun  when it is "all hands on deck". 


Here’s to your great health!
Nancy Heinrich
Founder of the Growing Healthy Kids movement

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. is dedicated to improving the health – and lives – of America’s children, one child and one garden at a time.    You can support our work by shopping, volunteering, and donating furniture and goods to the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store, 3300 43rd Avenue, Vero Beach, FL. 32960.  

Monday, September 24, 2012

NATIONAL CHILDHOOD OBESITY AWARENESS MONTH: GROWING HEALTHY KIDS ANNOUNCES NEW BOOK FOR PARENTS


The President of the United States has issued a proclamation declaring September National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.  

Here are facts every parent should know
  • ·         obesity rates have soared among all age groups, increasing more than fourfold among children ages 6 to 11;  
  • ·         31.8 percent or 23 million children and teenagers ages 2 to 19 are obese or overweight, a statistic that health and medical experts consider an epidemic; 
  • ·         the financial implications of childhood obesity pose a financial threat to our economy and health care system, carrying up to $14 billion per year in direct health care costs, with people in the United States spending about 9 percent of their total medical costs on obesity-related illnesses; 
  •           obese young people have an 80-percent chance of being obese adults and are more likely than children of normal weight to become overweight or obese adults, and therefore more at risk for associated adult health problems including heart disease, type 2 diabetes, sleep apnea, stroke, several types of cancer, and osteoarthritis; 
  • ·         due in part to the childhood obesity epidemic, 1 in 3 children (and nearly 1 in 2 minority children) born in the year 2000 will develop type 2 diabetes at some point in their lifetime if current trends continue;   
  • ·         some consequences of childhood and adolescent obesity are psychosocial and can hinder academic and social functioning and persist into adulthood; 
  • ·         participating in physical activity is important for children and teens as it can have beneficial effects not only on body weight, but also on blood pressure and bone strength; 
  • ·         proper nutrition is important for children before birth and through their lifespan as nutrition has beneficial effects for health and body weight, and is important in the prevention of chronic diseases; 
  • ·         childhood obesity is preventable, yet does not appear to be declining; and
  • ·         public, community-based, and private sector organizations and individuals throughout the United States are working to decrease childhood obesity rates in the United States through a range of efforts including educational presentations, media campaigns, websites, policies, healthier food options,  and greater opportunities for physical activity.

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. has been working for the past four years to halt, reverse, and prevent childhood obesity.  We have taught thousands of children and adults in educational programs and healthy cooking workshops.  We have documented success stories as we have watched kids learn to make choices that put them on the path to a healthier life instead of one filled with the painful consequences of obesity-related diseases. 

THEREFORE, in support of National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month, Growing Healthy Kids proudly  announces the release of Nourish and Flourish: Kid-Tested Tips and Recipes to Prevent Diabetes featuring the ideas that get kids screaming for more vegetables and whole grains on their plates. 


Written by Nancy Heinrich, an epidemiologist who founded the Growing Healthy Kids movement to prevent obesity-related diseases like diabetes in America’s children, this book teaches parents how to make simple changes that move kids away from the bad foods high in sugar, salt, and fat.  According to Ms. Heinrich, “When you engage kids in the garden or the produce market and then “play” with them in the kitchen to create a fun recipe together, they make better choices.”  Nourish and Flourish is filled with the same tips Ms. Heinrich uses in the "Growing Healthy Kids in the Kitchen" educational programs.  Included in the book are shopping lists for busy parents to make it easy for the whole family to eat healthy.  Best of all, many of the recipes make delicious, healthy, and economical school lunches for the kids AND  work lunches for moms and dads. 

If you are concerned that your kids are eating too much sugar, then you’ll get answers in a brand new book called Nourish and Flourish.  Reading this book will give you a clear and concise approach to put your kids on a path to healthier eating. 

Nourish and Flourish is available at www.amazon. com and at the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store, 3300 43rd Avenue, #4, Vero Beach, Florida, 32960.

To order bulk copies for your school or parent group or to book the author to speak to your organization, please send an email to growinghealthykidsnow@gmail.com.








Sunday, September 23, 2012

NOT YOUR USUAL THRIFT STORE


Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. is a nonprofit organization which educates principals, parents, and pupils that we all play a role in providing healthy choices of food and fitness for America’s children.  Our mission is to halt, reverse, and prevent obesity-related diseases in children. 

To support our core educational programs (see www.growinghealthykids.me for descriptions), we rented a room at Born Again Consignments two years ago.  Then, two months later, in December 2010, the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store was born when we took the leap of faith and moved into our own space at 3300 43rd Avenue in Vero Beach, Florida.  The store is run by several volunteers dedicated to the mission and vision of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.  Our mailing address is: 3300 43rd Avenue, #4, Vero Beach, FL 32960.  

Nancy Heinrich at the Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store.

We depend on you to get the word out about our work.  We are not like other nonprofit organizations top heavy in salaries for executive directors, fancy buildings, and plush furnishings.  Some of the larger thrift stores in this area send many of the donations to their organization outside of the country.  That does not happen when you donate to Growing Healthy Kids.    

Now we need your help.  We depend on you for quality donations of art, furniture, garden tools, and household items which we can feature in our Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store.  We are creating sustainable education programs that are not dependent on grants.  We depend on you to shop at our “secret gem of a store”.  Many people who come into the store say, “This shop should be over on the beach.”  We don’t want to be a beach shop.  If we were, we’d miss the chance to reach the children who come to the store with their parents or grandparents.  Our educational displays throughout the store teach the kids and more importantly, their parents. 
Sea turtles LOVE our store - "Not Your Usual Thrift Store"


Share this with someone who is downsizing their home or clearing out a room because they are redecorating.  Tell them about our work.  Tell them about our thrift store.  We can pick up furniture (call 561-379-7886 to schedule a pickup).  You receive a tax-deductible donation receipt.  Your donations benefit our educational programs in Indian River County.  

We are working to reverse childhood obesity – BECAUSE FAILURE IS NOT AN OPTION.  

Thank you,

Nancy L. Heinrich, M.P.H.
Founder, Growing Healthy Kids, Inc.
Improving the health - and lives - of America's children, one child and one garden at a time

Tuesday, September 18, 2012

EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA: AS YOU GIVE, YOU RECEIVE


Saying "thank you" does not cover how grateful I am for the support  you gave to Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. at last Thursday's (September 13, 2012) Educational Extravaganza at Jetson Vero Beach.  Our event goal of raising awareness about childhood obesity and preventing obesity-related diseases in children has been met and exceeded --- BECAUSE OF YOU.  

When we collaborate with others to achieve a common goal, we can achieve great things.  When we collaborate to improve the health - and lives - of America's children, we will achieve great things.  Thank you to each and every one of you!
Anthony Villafane, participant at the Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza, learning about aromatherapy


A special thanks...

To Susan Harris, thank you for inviting Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. to partner with Jetson.  Susan, you are absolutely amazing.  Thank you for the invitation to use your company's Vero Beach store to connect with the community.  

To Barbara Petrillo, thank you for the many hours you invested in a 2-1/2 hour event on behalf of Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. and our work to prevent, halt, and reverse childhood obesity in Indian River County and beyond.  From the outside, this kind of event looks so simple.  On the inside, there are hours and hours of work, writing, phone calls, and meetings that go on behind the scenes.  Thank you for the beautiful Growing Healthy Kids limited edition Petrillo Collection jewelry you created using the colors of the rainbow which also represent the chakra.  Thank you for the work to create the educational scavenger hunt for the alll the children enjoyed!  You see the vision of our work.  Thank you for taking care of the details before, during, and after our Educational Extravaganza.  

To those who helped Barb and Susan plan this event, please accept my sincere thanks for the time and work you invested in this event.  Your investment in the health of our children will pay dividends. 

To everyone who was part of our Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza, you have my respect.  I am honored to know that, with your help, we are working together to improve the health - and lives - of America's children.  
Terrence Lee, Jr, was absolutely enthralled with the Pampered Chef  device that peels, cores, and twirls an apple.  Tara Mc|Farlane with Pampered Chef was happy to teach him how much fun it is to eat fruit!


Now for the update.  The day after the Educational Extravaganza, I met with the principal of the brand new GREEN Vero Beach Elementary School, Mrs. Bonnie Swanson, about our new Growing Healthy Kids project to create a school-wide Wellness Champion project. The project will launch on Thursday, November 1.  

If you are 18 or older, we are in need of adults age 18 and older to help at the Saturday morning Growing Healthy Kids with Youth Guidance educational programs planned for the 2012-2013 school year. If you belong to a service organization or church that will partner with us at these events for the "unmatched" kids enrolled in Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program, please contact Barb Petrillo (772-205-7133) or me.  At these events, we teach kids about healthy foods and physical fun AND introduce prospective mentors to the great kids in our community who can benefit from having a mentor in their lives.   It is always a memorable morning with friends, fun, fitness, and food.  

If you know someone who believes in the power of collaboration and can help us take the Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. organization to the next level, please contact me via email at growinghealthykidsnow@gmail.com.

In gratitude, 

Nancy L. Heinrich, MPH

EXCERPT FROM EMAIL BY BARB PETRILLO, EVENT CHAIR, TO EVENT PARTICIPANTS: 



Hi Everyone,
I'll start by thanking Susan Harris for the opportunity to use the Jetson Vero Beach location for the Educational Extravaganza.  Susan looks out for everyone, wants us all to succeed and is great with connecting people with one another and good things happen.  Thank you Susan for the door prize for the drawing.
Cori McWillams and her mom enjoyed their first HERO POPS outside the Jetson Vero Beach store in downtown Vero Beach and got to meet  the Chief Pop Creator, Michael Haggerty, at the Growing Healthy Kids Educational Extravaganza in downtown Vero Beach.  

To the committee who planned this event, it could not happen without you.  As you know, every event takes a lot of effort and with all of you on board it went very smoothly. 

To the vendors who participated, we thank you very much for being a part of this event and hope your evening was a success and thank you for your door prizes for the drawings.

Thank you to TD Bank for furnishing the great bags and pencils. 
Thank you to Nancy Villafane & AnthonyDiane Dzadony and Cindy Hejlik for your help in directing the attendees to the vendors and helping to keep everything flowing.

Door prize winners:  Electrolux Hand Held Vacuum-Lisa Lopez; Overnight Stay at VB Resort-Lori Bender; Lunch for 2 @ Costa d'Este: Karen Kozdren; Tupperware storage containers & GHK Apron-Diane Dzadony; Wood carved Manta Ray from Growing Healthy Kids Variety Store, Gift Certificate to TriVita and Gift Certificate to Vittorio's Pizza-Anthony Villafane.

It was my privilege to work with you on this event.  I am sure great things will come to each of you.  As you give, you receive.

NOTE FROM NANCY:  THANK EVERYONE TO EVERYONE WHO PARTICIPATED IN AND ATTENDED THE GROWING HEALTHY KIDS EDUCATIONAL EXTRAVAGANZA FOR HELPING US RAISE AWARENESS ABOUT THE SOLUTIONS TO CHILDHOOD OBESITY.  You're the best!!

Sincerely,
Nancy Heinrich
Founder

www.growinghealthykids.blogspot.com
www.growinghealthykids.me

Monday, September 10, 2012

LEARN TIPS FOR GROWING HEALTHY KIDS AT THURSDAY'S FREE EVENT


Free Educational Extravaganza for Parents and Kids

This Thursday, September 13, you are invited to join us for an Educational Extravaganza when Growing Healthy Kids, Inc. partners with Jetson TV and Appliance Center to highlight great food, nutrition, and physical fitness at home, school, work and play.   

If you want new ideas for delicious, easy, healthy lunch boxes and tips for cutting back on sweets, sodas, and calories, then bring the kids to this event or come alone.  

Here's a sample of Thursday's menu:
  • Meet Michael Haggerty, founder of Hero Pops, and learn about his healthy frozen delights made from locally grown fruits. 
  • Kids will learn to read food labels from The Nutrition Detectives.   
  • The new limited edition Growing Healthy Kids jewelry line, created by The Petrillo Collection, will be shown for the first time.  A portion of sales will be donated to Growing Healthy Kids. 
  • Pick up your autographed copy of Nourish and Flourish, the just-released book for parents from Growing Healthy Kids project founder, Nancy Heinrich.  


The Educational Extravaganza takes place at the Jetson Vero Beach location at 1231 20th Street (corner of 12th Avenue and SR 60, across from the main post office in downtown Vero) from 4:00 to 6:30 PM this Thursday, September 13.   Admission is free.  A donation of a gently used household item for the Growing Healthy Kids Thrift Store is appreciated.  

Adults will be entered in a chance to win door prizes donated by companies including Vero Beach Hotel and Spa, Coste d’Este, Vittorio’s Pizza, and Electrolux.  Event parking is plentiful.

Additional companies participating in the Growing Healthy Kids Education Extravaganza include:
  • ·         Florida Outdoor Center (meet Kristin and Mike Beck and learn about kayaking and paddle boarding for kids and families)
  • ·         Quality Health Care (meet Diane Kingsley-Weir from the office of Dr. Deepti Sadhwani)
  • ·         Natalie’s Orchid Island Juice Company
  • ·         Pampered Chef (demos for making healthy snack for kids)
  • ·         Organo Gold (organic beverages)
  • ·         24/7 Fitness (with information about their new free fitness programs for kids)
  • ·         Tupperware (storage ideas)
  • ·         Lisa Tylutke (clinical aromatherapist)
  • ·         Juice Plus (get all your fruits & veggies)
  • ·         Tri Vita Works (products to help with inflammation)
  • ·         Chair Massages by Sean Holland
  • ·         Local author Lynn E. Mueller, with her first children’s book, Herbert the Hedgehog


For more information, contact Barbara Petrillo at 772-205-7133 or email her at barb@thepetrillocollection.com.

Growing Healthy Kids, Inc., is a nonprofit organization based in Vero Beach creating solutions to improve the health and lives of kids through collaborations with organizations such as Boys & Girls Clubs of Indian River County, Youth Guidance Mentoring & Activities Program, The Willow School, and Vero Beach Elementary School. 
SAVE THE DATE!


Thank you for helping us GROW HEALTHY KIDS!  

See you this Thursday!
Nancy Heinrich