Clairmont Heights Civic Association

Today is the day to sign up for Team Decatur and register for the KP Run/Walk to be held on September 16th in downtown Atlanta. The organizers are running a special TODAY ONLY: sign up before midnight and pay only $20- that is $10 off the registration price. Enter coupon code kpmidnight at checkout.

Be sure to join Team Decatur and receive a special team t-shirt that we will wear at the event. Then after the race we will gather in the Team Decatur tent for some food and fun. We will also have a team photo taken before the race.

If you have participated in the Kaiser Permanente Corporate Run/Walk in the past, you know what a fun evening it is.  If you haven’t been there, come out and see what you have been missing! What could be more fun that running or walking a 5K through Downtown Atlanta in the evening and finishing under the Olympic Rings?  This year’s event is on Thursday, September 16, and it’s going to be better than ever.  

· Kaiser Permanente will be celebrating their 25th year in Georgia and are bringing back Rupert’s Orchestra and the FIREWORKS!!

· Best Self Atlanta Magazine has expanded the Fitness Expo and will have an open area outside the tent with more games, prizes and giveaways!

· The Kaiser Permanente Relaxation Zone will be back with free 5-minute massages!

· The Atlanta Community Food Bank will have their truck onsite for the Corporate Can Contest.  The company that brings the most cans will win a great prize package!

· You still have two weeks to enjoy Complimentary Workouts from LA Fitness and all the other discounts!

· Peggy Still Johnson will sing the national anthem at the start!

· The StratoGeezers will be playing on the traffic triangle at Hank Aaron/Memorial again so you will get to hear them going and coming!

  · Scott Douglas and his steel drum will be just past the second water station!

· The on-course water stations will have Dasani Water and Powerade!

· ALL event photos will be available for FREE download at least by September 23.  (Print as many as you want!!)

Glennwood Academy held their first monthly Walk & Roll to School Day today and had great participation. The parents and children walked or rode their bikes together  as a healthy alternative for traveling to school.

All Decatur elementary schools hold monthly walk & roll days at various times throughout the school year. The schools will participate in International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, October 6th. Decatur Active Living will join in that day, as well as hold an Internationl Walk to School Day Pep Rally on Tuesday, October 5th on the Square.

Be sure to be on the look out for children walking and riding bikes to and from school each day. Let’s make it safe for our children to have a healthy and fun way to get to school!

Sally was a pioneer in the community garden arena and motivated Decatur.  She was able to get people to contribute resources and connections.  We all remember the Earth Day puppet parade that was Sally’s brain child and Decatur Active Living enjoyed working with Sally.  A celebration of Sally’s life will take place on September 11 at 5pm at the Oakhurst Baptist Church (222 East Lake Drive).  Immediately following the service a Sally- inspired puppet parade will take place.  The parade will proceed from the Oakhurst Baptist Church to the Oakhurst Community Garden.  A reception will be held at the Oakhurst Community Garden- bring a covered dish.  Dishes can be dropped off at the Oakhurst Garden between 3:30-4:30pm.  In case of rain, the reception will take place at the Solarium (321 West Hill Street).  Decatur Active Living will carry out the vision of community gardens that Sally brought to the Decatur community.

(Sally at Earth Day 2009)

    Sally at Earth Day 2009

“”Me thinks that the moment my legs begin to move, my thoughts begin to flow”. – Henry David Thoreau

Is it time to take a walk around the block? Yes! It is not too hot for a short walk. Fill a bottle (refillable one of course) with water and set out with the goal of walking for 15 minutes. Before you know it, a half an hour will have gone by. Say hello or simply smile at anyone you pass on the way. When you return home (or to the office) your head will feel clearer and you will be more productive.

Some ideas to put some walking in your day:
**Maybe you need to pick up something from the drug store, so instead of hopping in the car, walk there. 
**Spend a part of your lunch hour walking. Keep some comfortable shoes in your desk. 
**Gather up the family for a walk after dinner. The weather is cooler and it will help your body digest food more efficiently.

Now that you have found you enjoy walking, you are are ready to sign up for Team Decatur to participate in the KP Run/Walk to be held on September 16th. We have over  120 people signed up so far, and it is not too late for you to join in the fun! Click here to register. Be sure to select Team Decatur so you will receive a special Team Decatur t-shirt to wear during the event. We will have a team photo taken before the run/walk and then gather in the  Team Decatur Tent afterwards for snacks, fireworks and music.

Let’s all take a walk togehter, Decatur!!

The 5th annual AJC Decatur Book Festival will be held this weekend in downtown Decatur. Be sure to walk or ride your bike up to the Square where you can enjoy hundreds of authors, an expanded street market and the Children’s area located on the MARTA Plaza. Author talks will beheld at various venues including City Hall, th downtwon Churches, the Library and at Decatur High School. Teens can enjoy age-related authors in the Old Courthouse on the Square. The weekend culminates with Cajun Music on the Bandstand and a picnic on the Square Sunday evening from 6 until 8 pm.

Start off your Saturday by participating in the Llama Llama Parade. New York Times bestselling author of the Llama Llama children’s book series Anna Dewdney will lead children and parents in a parade around downtown Decatur. The parade will be based on Dewdney’s original Llama Llama book, Llama Llama Red Pajama. Participants are encouraged to wear their pajamas in the parade. Lineup is in the green space south of the Holiday Inn on Clairemont and begins at 9 am.

On Sunday morning, children and their parents are invited to participate in the Ladybug Girl parade. Participants are encouraged to dress up as Ladybug Girl. Lineup begins at 11am in the green space just south of the Holiday Inn on Clairemont.

Click here for a printer ready schedule of events.

Hope to see you in downtown Decatur this weekend!

Decatur Active Living’s Greg White is not only the Champion of the Week but also featured in the September issue of “bestself atlanta” where he also appears on the cover. Greg is being honored by The Champion Newspaper for his work with Southwest DeKalb High School where his son Noah attends. Greg is first vice president of the PTA and is also the voice behind the play-by-play announcements for the Southwest boys and girls basketball teams. He also devotes a great deal of time to his church, Hillcrest Church of Christ, where he serves as deacon and youth minister.

Greg’s appearance in “bestselfatlanta” is related to his work as Interim Director of Decatur Active Living. He appears in an article titled “Superheroes of Wellness”. Greg can be found riding his bicycle through the streets of Decatur heading to a meeting or checking on one of the many parks in the city.  One of the goals of Active Living is to bring families together to increase their health and wellness-related activities. Greg is a living example of that.

Congratulations to Greg!!

Sleep: the ultimate school supply. Start the school year off right by getting your children back on a healthy sleep schedule! Go to bed at the same time each night and get a consistent amount of sleep.

How often do you hear yourself or others say “I don’t have time to exercise”? Here are some ideas to help you put activity (read exercise) into your day.

Walk up or down the stairs instead of taking the elevator.

Park your car at the parking space the farthest from the store. Not only does this give you a little walk break, but reduces the stress of driving around the lot searching for the closest space.

Turn on your favorite dance music while cleaning the house and dance your way through chores.

Get off the couch! If you want to watch TV, sit on the floor and do some stretching or work on toning your abs. Do you have an old exercise bike gathering dust in the garage? Dust it off and take a ride while watching a show.

Keep a pair of comfortable shoes in your desk and take a walk break during lunch.

What other ideas do you have for putting some activity into the day? We would love to hear from you.

Sean Woodson With Recycling

The BBQ Blues & Bluegrass Festival held on August 21 was a success in more ways than attendance and good weather. Thanks to the great folks at Decatur Public Works who supplied recycling for the event, over 25 bags of recyclables were kept out of the landfill. Pictured at left is Sean Woodson with Decatur’s recycling Trailer. Sean heads up the program for the city. Not only do we keep these items out of the landfill thus avoiding the landfill fees, but Decatur takes in revenue for them as well.

Sean and his crew were also on hand to “tattoo” attendees with the Georgia Recycling Program logo.

Be sure to look for Sean and his trailer at more Decatur events, and drop your plastic, glass or metal containers in the containers.

The Decatur Scrabble® Club is an officially sanctioned, competitive (but friendly) Scrabble® club. They play using official NASPA (North American Scrabble Players Association) club and tournament rules and dictionary. If you are new to competitive Scrabble, don’t worry…they welcome players of all levels and will help ”newbies” learn how the competitive game differs from the “living room” game.

The Club meets Monday nights from 5:45pm-9:45pm at the Decatur Recreation Center (231 Sycamore Street), located in downtown Decatur one block from the Decatur MARTA station. Street parking is free in Decatur after 6pm, but the easiest place to park is behind the library which is directly next to the Rec Center.
Click here for more information on the Club.

If you have any questions please contact Jeremy Jeffers, Club Director jeremy_jeffers@hotmail.com or call
646-345-2763.

Prime time, not snack time. Avoid munching in front of the television this week. It’s harder to keep track of how much you’re eating!

Become a fan of Healthy Mondays on Facebook.

On Wednesday, August 18 several First Chrisitian Church members, Decatur residents and Active Living staff met to have a brainstorming session about the direction of the gym and land use.  The Rev. Dr. James Brewer-Calvert, Senior Pastor, led the discussion.  Ideas that came out of the session- gym space, meeting place, place for seniors, place to host mission groups, playgroups, home school use, elementary school uses, exercise space, classes and many more great ideas. If you have an interest in participating or would like more information call 404-378-3621 or visit www.decaturdisciples.org  

 

The 10th Annual BBQ Blues and Bluegrass Festival will be held Saturday, August 21 from 4pm-10pm.  There will be plenty of music, barbeque in the air and activities for children.  Cost: $10 ages 21 and up, $5 ages 11-20 and kids 10 and under get in free.    Decatur’s 10th Annual BBQ, Blues & Bluegrass Festival is brought to you by three non-profit groups: the Community Center of South Decatur, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association and Decatur Active Living.   All proceeds of the festival will be invested directly into the Decatur community.   For the band line up visit- www.decatubbfestival.com 

The American Heart Association recommends healthy snacking. Not only are the snacks below healthy, but most are easy to make and quite refreshing in this heat.

• Fruit Pops: Homemade freezer pops are an easy, fun treat for kids to make. Mash up fruit like peaches, grapes, berries or watermelon and put them in paper cups, insert a popsicle stick, freeze overnight and enjoy!
• Cool and Crisp: Keep a variety of colorful veggies on hand that stay cool and crunchy – baby carrots, cucumber slices and celery sticks are just a few examples.
• Fruit Smoothies: Blend your favorite fresh fruits with fat-free or low-fat yogurt and ice for a refreshing drink or freeze and eat with a spoon like a frozen ice chill.
• Mix it up: Make your own trail mix using your favorite unsalted, oil-free nuts, seeds and dried fruits (just be sure to keep servings to 1.5 ounces or 1/3 cup).

Just Slice and Serve: Summer is peak season for most fruits; just slice and serve – the whole family will enjoy the refreshing natural sweetness and juices just the way nature made ‘em!

Instead of stopping off for some fast food, stop by your local farmers’ market and select some seasonal fresh fruit for your snacking.

Anyone up for a game of FLAG FOOTBALL?

Thanks to a wonderful group of parents, there is a place for kids ages 5-9 years old to play a game of flag football. Last year several Decatur parents and kids staged a flag football rebellion and it proved to be really exciting and fun for all.  There has been a sizable amount of interest to do it again this year. Decatur Active Living Department will be teaming up with these kids and parents to offer ”DECATUR FLAG FOOTBALL”   Bring your kid(s) out to Oakhurst School on Sundays this Fall beginning September 26, for eight Sundays from 3:30-5:00pm.  Boys and Girls are welcome.   Each Sunday the kids will have a 45 minute practice of classic football drills.  Kids will then be divided into teams and play games until 5pm. The best part is that it’s FREE.  Parents are encouraged to help out (no experience necessary).  Please note that this is not a drop-off activity.

For more information Contact Jay Wilson or Stacy Green at 678-553-6549

Back To

School Bash!

When:  Saturday, August 21st 11am-3pm

Where:  Scott Garden (behind the Rec)  231 Sycamore Street

 

Let’s get the school year started right  come celebrate the new school year with Decatur Active Living.

 

There will be FREE back to school supplies, hotdogs, punch and music.

For more information contact

Lee Williams or Stacy Green at 404-377-0494.

   

 

Fun at Camp!

Need something fun and safe for your children during the September Fall Break? As a partner with City Schools of Decatur, Decatur Children and Youth Services is providing information regarding Fall Break Camps throughout the city.  Registration for programs is through each individual agency. Contact information and web linkage is provided to each agency within this information. Click here for information a list of opportunities.

Jabari Cole

Decatur Active Living employees are being featured in the latest episode of Metro Atlanta: The Shape of Things to Come, “Improving Our Community Health”.  This  installment looks at how communities can become healthier and the innovative ways metro Atlanta is making it easier to exercise and eat right. 

To watch the section featuring Decatur’s Jabari Cole, Stacy Green and Greg White, click here.   
 
The full episode will air on WPBA Channel 30 Sunday, August 29 at 9:30 am.

The Decatur Active Living Department is looking for caring adults who would like to volunteer as Mini and League Soccer Coaches. This is a great opportunity to get some exercise, meet new friends and give back to the community – all at the same time!!

Volunteers will attend a coaches meeting and a FREE workshop for NYSCA certification on August 26 beginning at 6:30 pm. Coaches that cannot attend the certification can complete the online certifiction at www.nays.org.

The parents meeting for soccer will be held on Saturday, September 11 at 1 pm in the Decatur Recreation Department.

For more information please contact Stacy Green or Lindsey Struck at 404-377-0494 or email stacy.green@decaturga.com or lindsey.struck@decaturga.com.

On Thursday, July 29th the Decatur Active Living KeenAgers took a tour of Decatur ‘s very own police department.  The seniors had the opportunity to learn about the city’s court system, the intake process and the daily operation of the police department.  Thanks to Juanchella Francis for being such a great tour guide.