Detroit Red Wings Encourage Michigan Students to Get Healthy

Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley was at the Novi Kroger Wednesday afternoon to play some hockey and educate children on how to eat healthy and be active.

Calley was at the store to show his support of the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and The Kroger Co. of Michigan for their goal of targeting childhood obesity in 2013. The group of partners plan to reach more than 50,000 students through the Red Wings School Assembly Program. The program introduces kids to the sport of hockey and encourages them to live active and healthy lifestyles.

This year Kroger will add another nutritional element to the school assembly program with tasty, healthy child-friendly recipes. The recipes will include fun nutritional tips for parents to help them encourage kids to eat more fruits and vegetables and lower fat products.

“Kroger encourages parents to provide a more balanced diet as recommended by the USDA’s MyPlate food plate, which replaces the food pyramid,” said Rick Going, president, The Kroger Co. of Michigan. “We want to encourage and teach children to eat more fruits and vegetables and lower fat products—although we do not advocate depriving adults or children of foods they enjoy. We believe occasional consumption of these types of foods in moderation with a balanced diet and activity is more realistic and healthy.”

Going added that grocery stores’ wide variety of fresh, delicious foods makes it easier for parents to choose healthy selections their children will like.

The Detroit Red Wings School Assembly Program has been designated a Pure Michigan FIT program and complements Governor Rick Snyder’s Pure Michigan FIT nutrition and fitness initiative, which provides tools and resources for families to give children a good start toward a long, happy and healthy life. Pure Michigan FIT focuses initially on young children to instill healthy eating habits and physical activity at an earlier age, which will empower children to lead healthier lives.

Kroger worked with the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development and the United Dairy Industry of Michigan to develop a brochure featuring delicious child-friendly recipes and nutrition tips and will distribute it during the Red Wings School Assembly Program and in Kroger stores throughout Michigan. You can also view the brochure as a PDF above.

At the Novi Kroger on Wednesday, a group of students from Novi Woods Elementary School participated in a shortened version of the Red Wings School Assembly Program. During the program, the school assembly team opens with a lesson on exercise and healthy eating, followed by a fun face-off between teachers and students during a hockey skill competition. Each school receives two full sets of floor hockey equipment complete with hockey sticks and goalie nets courtesy of the Detroit Red Wings Foundation, as well as a Red Wings folder and a Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan keepsake magnet that lists five fun and healthy afterschool activities.

“The Detroit Red Wings Foundation is thrilled to be part of such a wonderful program,” said Lynsie Estes, director, Detroit Red Wings Foundation. “Our entire organization is committed to making a difference in the lives of our local youth, and we are honored to have the School Assembly Program identified as a Pure Michigan FIT program.”