Local students to ‘Get On the Ball’

• Students and their stability balls

Submitted Photo The “Get on the Ball with Fun Family Fitness” event to be presented Saturday by Prairie Rehab & Fitness will raise money for the purchase of additional stability balls, like the ones shown here, at Prairie Elementary.

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WORTHINGTON — An event promoting family physical fitness while raising money for new stability balls at Prairie Elementary will take place Saturday afternoon.

The second annual “Get On the Ball with Fun Family Fitness” will be from 1 to 5 p.m. at Prairie Elementary. The event is being presented by Prairie Rehab & Fitness.

“Last year we had probably more than 500 kids and parents, and we raised over $4,500 to give to the school for the stability balls,” said Kristin Fox, a physical therapist at Prairie Rehab. “We’ll be doing the same thing this year because there’s a waiting list of at least 250 balls right now for first and second grade. We pretty much have all the kindergarten ones taken care that we know.”

This year’s “Get On the Ball” promises to offer even more than last year’s inaugural event, Fox explained.

“We’re going to have at least 15 different activities set up for the kids, and they’re going to have punch cards for the kids when they get there,” she said. “If they go to at least 10 of the 15 activities, then they get to enter the grand prize drawing.”

A Nintendo Wii game system, a boys youth bike and girls youth bike will be given away in the grand prize drawing. Entries can also be made through free-will donations at Prairie Rehab or Prairie Elementary from now through the day of the event (limit one entry per day).

Other activities scheduled include floor hockey, volleyball, basketball and human hamster ball races (“big inflatable balls that you get into and push,” Fox said), as well as three Nintendo Wii stations. Activities geared more toward adults are free chair massages and blood pressure screenings, while Prairie Rehab trainer Travis Bretzman will give fitness tips for all.

A silent auction with feature additional prizes, including: two one-hour massages at Prairie Rehab with massage therapist Shannon Schmitz; three personal training sessions with Bretzman; a one-month membership at Prairie Rehab; a gift certificate from Ax Photo; and three months free cable from Knology. Free door prizes will also be awarded, and snacks and beverages will be available.

“The day is just to promote health and wellness in the community and have it be family-oriented — parents interacting with their kids,” Fox said.

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