Children from kindergarten through fifth grade are invited to participate in Let's Move Day on Sunday, Sept. 30, at the Benton Place campus in Ringgold.

The event is a day filled with activities designed to let children experience the fun side of being healthy and fit, said event coordinator Sheri Collins.

Let's Move Day is a part of the national agenda coordinated by the Seventh Day Adventist Church and held in conjunction with First Lady Michelle Obama's campaign to end childhood obesity.

The local event is hosted by the Battlefield Community Seventh Day Adventist Church and sponsored by Erlanger at Hutcheson, Walmart, Applebrook Daycare, The Little Gym, Earthfare, The Rush, Benchmark Physical Therapy, Yoli's Frozen Yogurt and several other businesses and organizations.

A recent study by the Pediatric Nutrition Surveillance System in 2009 discovered that 3.7 million 2-4 year olds from low-income families were obese. According to the Trust for America’s Health and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation, Georgia will be spending about $21.4 billion by the year 2030.

The study concluded that one in seven of these preschoolers is obese. Due to their obesity these children are more likely to develop risks such as cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and type 2 diabetes.

E.W. Dempsey, director of health education for the Seventh Day Adventist Church in Georgia and East Tennessee, said, “I am really excited about the support from county and city governments, the county schools and many other organizations in addressing this national epidemic of childhood obesity.

“As a former physical education teacher and coach in Catoosa County, I am still very passionate for our local kids to be active and healthy.”

The day will involve several different activities for the children, all of which will focus on exercise, such as an obstacle course, basketball, karate, tae kwon do, soccer, relay races and jump rope.

Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m. Participants will be eligible to win prizes throughout the day. Kids who complete six or more activities will qualify for the grand prize drawing to win a new bike. On-hand to perform at the finale will be the Gym Masters team from Southern Adventist University.

More information about Let's Move Day can be obtained by calling Collins at 423-382-3240. She can also be reached via email at letsmovecatoosa@gmail.com. To learn more about the day's agenda, go to adventistinstepforlife.org.

Let's Move Day

Who: Children from kindergarten through fifth grade

What: A day of activities designed to help children learn to exercise

Where: Benton Place campus in Ringgold

When: Sunday, Sept. 30, from 2-4 p.m.