Jump!

Saturday's Eat Smart, Move more "Let's Go! EXPO" was a blast. Who knew that an expo extolling the benefits of healthier eating and exercise would be such a success- and so much fun! More than 200 people showed up for the one-mile fun walk. Not too shabby for the first year (and more than they'd anticipated: they only procured 200 finishers medals!).




Walterboro Police Department Chief Otis Rhodes was on hand to make sure things were orderly, and to dispatch his troops to make sure the walkers were safe. There were plenty of local dignitaries in the crowd. Mayor Bill Young gave a speech. Council Members Randy Peters and Tom Lohr were also in attendance. Shoot, Town Council might've had a quorum.
Representatives from County Government were there as well: There's Diane with our lovely Clerk of Court, Pat Grant.

There's Lady Di with Chamber of Commerce Director David Smalls, and always effervescent Queen of Colleton County, Alta Mae Marvin.

We assembled downtown at about eight in the morning for the walk.


Local running legend Pat Rhodes was there to make sure the walkers stayed on the right path.


Looky there! We walked right past my church. A mile may not be much of a challenge for my brother or his ultra-marathon mates, but a lot of the folks out there have been flirting with diabetes and other health problems because of inactivity and bad diets. The men, women and children who got up early to walk through the Boro deserve a smile and a pat on the back.


Success!

We finished the walk to sign up for mini-seminars, visit the booths, listen to speakers (including Lady Di, who also got an interview with the local radio station (which was broadcasting live from the site)), and music and watch demonstrations on dancing, competitive jumping (the Lowcountry Jumpers were announce as "the third best competitive jump-rope jumpers" in the Country. I posted a short video of one of them jumping around below). Some of Diane's AHEC students donned fruit and veggie suits to press the point of health snacks. These gals coulda whooped the Fruit of the Loom guys, no problem!



Here they are without their super-suits, and with Kelli, another successful former AHEC student.


You couldn't swing a dead cat without hitting a health care professional, docs included.


I meant no offense with the "dead cat" reference, Smart Cat, honest!








The sound guy left early, and I had to work the knobs and stuff for the speakers and music. I wasn't very good at it. I guess my knowledge isn't sound. Anyway, the dude with the cables, here, came to help me. The cable guy's name? Larry. Larry, the cable guy. Honest.

I got tons more pictures, a few of which I already posted on FaceBook.