03-02-11 Let’s Move McDonough Gains Momentum

Councilwoman Sandra Vincent announces “the City of McDonough’s Let’s Move Initiative continues to gain momentum as several organizations have come forward as community partners”. Community partners are organizations who have pledge to independently commit to furthering the national objective of “solving the problem of childhood obesity within a generation”. as well as furthering the City of McDonough’s goal of becoming a healthy lifelong community. The City is encouraging partners to support the initiative by way of involvement in one of four areas, promoting healthier foods, increasing physical activity opportunities, helping parents make healthy family choices and making healthy food more affordable and accessible”. “To date we have commitments from Kaiser Permanente, Four Rivers Ministry, Feed My People, Tabernacle of Praise International Church, Powerforward Mentoring, Girl Scout Troup # 316 and now a Zumba partner”.

On Saturday, March 5th, local certified instructor Stephanie Gailey, along with fitness expert and Zumba instructor Marlene Cuggy (visiting from Charleston, SC) will hold a free Zumba demonstration on the Square of Historic Downtown McDonough. “Zumba embraces all the fundamental principles of fitness that motivate the body to efficiently burn calories. It uses dance moves that incorporate the full range of motion that effectively tones all muscle groups and improves the cardiovascular system. Zumba instructors are trained to make fitness fun. Utilizing the natural beat and music transitions they dance seamlessly from toning to strengthening, to cardio,” said fitness expert Marlene Cuggy.

Zumba, the workout program that uses irresistible Latin and international music with dynamic simple exercise moves brings “fun into fitness.” “Zumba makes getting fit fun,” said Zumba instructor Stephanie Gailey. “It’s almost like a dance party that includes moves from salsa, meringue, samba, belly dancing, flamenco, regga and more.” “Zumba is recognized by the world's leading fitness educators, including AFAA, ACE, and CanFitPro, with sanctioned training programs in China, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the United Kindom, Canada and the US,” Said Ms. Cuggy.

Councilwoman Sandra Vincent encourages any organization interested in seeing the demonstration to come out on Saturday. “We are pleased that organizations within our community have come forward and committed to supporting Let’s Move McDonough and the City’s ongoing quest to establish a healthy lifelong community. Much gratitude goes to Mayor Billy Copeland for pioneering the health movement in McDonough. Anyone wishing to become a community partner should contact Jestin Johnson at 770-957-3915 or by email at jjohnson@mcdonough-ga.gov.