Pennsylvania Athletic Training Program Promotes Community Service and Healthy Habits
Wilkes Barre, PA (PRWEB) December 09, 2014 -- The Sports Medicine Society of King's College attended the "Shiver by the River" Halloween event organized by the Riverfront Parks Committee of Wilkes-Barre, PA, near the Susquehanna River. At this event, children ages 4-12 years old were able to attend a Halloween story telling session, Halloween parade, and partake in various activities provided by several vendors and institutions from the Wilkes-Barre area.
Two tables provided candy, coloring, and Halloween-styled skeletons with their bones labeled, providing fun entertainment to about 150 children. Additionally, informational handouts were given to parents explaining the role athletic trainers play in injury prevention in sports, nutrition, and exercise recommendations for children were provided.
"This event was valuable not only for our [athletic training] students, who were able to interact with a different than usual target group, but also for the attending children and parents, who gained valuable information regarding safe sport participation and child exercise recommendations," states Jan Kretzschmar, Director of Exercise Science at King's College.
Additionally, student members of the King's College Sports Medicine Society, along with members of the department's faculty, recently took part in the 13th annual “Trick-or-Canning” food drive, where non-perishable food items were collected and donated to a local soup kitchen.
Allison Gardiner, President of the King's College Sports Medicine Society, said, "Trick-Or-Canning is a great way for students to learn the importance of service and supporting the local community. The Sports Medicine Society is highly committed to providing students with the opportunity to learn and grow as quality members of both the allied health community and the general public."
Approximately 30 members of the group, primarily made up of athletic training and exercise science students, collected non-perishable food items from neighborhoods in Kingston and Mountain Top, Pennsylvania. The group collected more than 1,200 items that will be donated to the St. Vincent DePaul Kitchen in Wilkes-Barre.
For more information regarding this topic or to schedule an interview with PATS President John Moyer LAT, ATC, please contact Linda Mazzoli MS, LAT, ATC, PATS Executive Director at patsexecutivedirector(at)gopats(dot)org.
The Pennsylvania Athletic Trainers' Society, Inc. is a progressive organization of licensed health care professionals who work under the direction of a licensed physician. Our society continues to increase public awareness and education regarding Athletic Trainers and the Athletic Training profession while serving as the premier source of information for public safety, injury and illness prevention, early intervention, patient care, and healthcare delivery for the physically active in the Commonwealth.
“The Keystone to a Healthy and Physically Active Life”
Mike Prybicien, District 2 National Athletic Trainers Association, http://www.natad2.org/, +1 (201) 788-2961, [email protected]
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