Junior League of Long Island Tackles Childhood Obesity With Kids in the Kitchen Long Island Students and Families Learn Healthy Lifestyle Habits at Westbury Event Roslyn, N.Y. – March 15, 2010, The Junior League of Long Island (www.jlli.org), a nonprofit organization of women volunteers, joined the battle to end childhood obesity on Long Island with Kids in the Kitchen, an educational and fitness-themed event, on Saturday, March 13, 2010. One hundred students at Powells Lane Elementary School in Westbury and their families were given tools and tips to learn how to live a healthy, affordable, active lifestyle. The Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen event addressed the urgent issues surrounding childhood obesity on Long Island through interactive, hands-on activities and demonstrations from local nutrition and fitness experts. Incorporating an Olympic theme with opening and closing ceremonies, the kindergarten through sixth grade students of Powells Lane Elementary School enjoyed entertaining instructional sessions by Lucie B’s Jump N’ Fun, Breakthroughs to Fitness, Lilchefs.com, Dr. Michelle from Kids Smiles Dentistry Group, Nutritionist Maria Dello, C.N., and Lizzy Rockwell, author of Good Enough to Eat.
“The Junior League has always been about improving the lives of children and our Kids in the Kitchen initiative empowers Long Island children to adopt healthy habits. Educating children is the key to reducing the obesity trend in our nation and its associated health issues such as diabetes and heart disease,” said Deidra Maleno, President of The Junior League of Long Island. “Our wonderful provisional class of new Junior League volunteers worked incredibly hard to make this event such a phenomenal success. Kids in the Kitchen would also not have been possible without the generous donations of time, talents and products from our many local sponsors.” The Junior League’s Kids in the Kitchen initiative is supported by The Association of Junior Leagues International Inc. and over 200 Junior Leagues nationwide. About the Junior League of Long Island: The Junior League of Long Island is an organization of women committed to promoting voluntarism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Established in 1951, the Junior League of Long Island has over 300 members in Nassau and Suffolk counties. Headquartered in the Village of Roslyn, the Junior League of Long Island is affiliated with the Association of Junior Leagues International, an organization of 293 Leagues throughout the United States, Canada, Mexico and England. The Junior League of Long Island is designated as a 501 (c) (3) non-profit organization.