Coming Saturday, HeartFest promotes wholesome existence with enjoyable actions, free screenings | Information, Sports activities, Jobs

Hearty Da Dog shares a second ultimately 12 months’s HeartFest Maui. Courtesy photograph

If an oz. of prevention is price a pound of treatment, the second annual HeartFest Maui might do a ton of fine.

HeartFest Maui will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Saturday on the Maui Family YMCA, 250 Kanaloa Ave. in Kahului, inviting residents to benefit from the day outdoors with a big selection of enjoyable actions, prize giveaways, meals vans, stay music, a silent public sale, free screenings and checkups, and well being care assets from dozens of organizations and native nonprofits.

Entering its second 12 months, HeartFest Maui is a free grassroots occasion that grew out of a partnership between two native Scout packs and the YMCA.

Looking to boost cash for the Scouts, a small group of oldsters had the concept to carry an occasion with the YMCA. The purpose was to assist the Scouts get the cash they want for issues like tenting journeys, service initiatives and their work locally, whereas additionally selling wholesome existence throughout Maui.

The timing labored out nicely with February being American Heart Month, a nationwide observance devoted to elevating consciousness about heart problems, the main reason behind loss of life within the U.S.

And the Maui Family YMCA was pleased to assist.

“Anytime we have an opportunity to bring the community together — and in the case of HeartFest, it’s families getting together and spending time together, the community coming together and finding healthy, wholesome things to do — I think it is a great opportunity,” stated Steven Scraggs, CEO of the Maui Family YMCA. “The YMCA, along with our partners, Troop 49, they do a great job of making (HeartFest) very family-friendly.”

As Steven Fernandez, one of many dad and mom who helps set up HeartFest, defined it, the Scouts rely closely on fundraising efforts, and the YMCA is a bunch that promotes wholesome existence, so working with them on this feels pure.

With that, Steven and Dahana Fernandez and Mark and Tanya Unemori took the concept and ran with it. Dahana got here up with a reputation for the occasion and designed a emblem, and so they began selling it on Instagram and locally.

Fernandez added that the primary HeartFest bought a pleasant enhance when Maui County Mayor Richard Bissen dropped in and provided just a few remarks. In reality, Fernandez stated Bissen truly has a connection to the Scouts as a result of the mayor was in the identical troop when he was youthful.

Scout Azariah Fernandez of Pack 49 provides Mayor Richard Bissen an image signed by the pack thanking the mayor. Courtesy photograph

Fernandez stated this 12 months’s HeartFest will construct on the success of final 12 months and have much more free screenings and well being care assets than final 12 months. Additionally, the keiki zone can have video games, prizes, face-painting, leaping castles and extra.

According to Scraggs, the second annual HeartFest might be a whole lot of enjoyable, nevertheless it might additionally do a whole lot of good.

“It’s not just Maui, but if you look at national statistics — whether it’s diabetes, heart disease, obesity — all of those statistics are trending in the wrong direction, and it seems like the latest thing is to use some type of prescription or medication to try to control that,” Scraggs stated. “That’s not to say that’s not important, but a preventative way to deal with it — whether you’re young, middle aged or a senior adult — is to be healthy, to be active, to be moving. Whether that’s in a YMCA class or activity, or at your local community park or even if it’s just mowing your lawn, whatever it would be, I think HeartFest tries to encourage families to be active outside together.”

For extra info, observe @HeartFestMaui on Instagram.