(Nashville, Tennessee) – The Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center [MWCHC], the Department of Health and Human Services Region IV Offices in Atlanta, Georgia and 92Q Cumulus Broadcasting Station have come together to advance the health of the Nashville and Greater Metro Community.
The Center was awarded a grant to facilitate the Reviving Double Dutch Competition in the Greater Nashville Community. The program seeks to motivate, educate and empower children ages 8 to 18 years old to increase their free-time physical activity levels. The final competition will be held April 25th from 9am to 2pm at Martin Luther King, Jr. Magnet High School, 613 17th Avenue North , 37203.
“Years ago Double Dutch was an activity that brought you together with neighborhood friends”, says Katina Beard , Director of Institutional Advancement and Community Initiatives. “We didn’t think of it as exercise; it was just something to do.”
The Reviving Double Dutch Program is based on an age old jump rope concept called “Double Dutch”, where there are two jump ropes used simultaneously along with two people turning and possibly multiple persons jumping. Several teams signed up for the program and each team consisted of 4 to 6 youth and 1 to 2 coaches, depending upon the size of the team. The youth and the coaches were taught to jump Double Dutch Rope by professional trainers. All Reviving Double Dutch Program participants were monitored throughout the project for changes in their body mass index (BMI), endurance, strength, agility, nutrition knowledge and of course growth in Double Dutch skills. Three teams remain, who will compete in the final round of the competition. The teams represent, Head Middle School , Bordeaux Elementary School , and Hadley Park .
The general public is invited to witness this healthy, fun-filled competition and admission is free. There will be celebrity judges from the Disney 2007 movie “Jump In”, a special performance by the nationally renowned Double Dutch team USA Jump Rope and a guest appearance by Olympic Gold Medalist, Mrs. Barbara Jones-Slater. The winning team of the final competition will receive $1,000.00 sponsored by 92Q, a Cumulus Broadcasting Station.
About Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center
The Matthew Walker Comprehensive Health Center serves the under-insured and uninsured families of Middle Tennessee. They offer sick visits, check-ups, comprehensive dental care, low-cost prescriptions, telemedicine, health education, counseling and specialty care including women’s health, ophthalmology and podiatry. They are the place of first and last resort for many in need of quality, affordable healthcare, with four clinic sites in the Middle Tennessee community. Their main offices are located in Nashville, at 1035 14th Avenue North, they have two other satellite clinic sites located in Nashville as well. Their Clarksville, Tennessee clinic site is located at 230 Dover Road, and serves Montgomery, Robertson, Cheatham and Houston contiguous rural counties. For more information call 615-327-9400 or visit their website.
