|
Jeannette
Warnert REEDLEY GIRL'S GRAND PRIZE BILLBOARD TO GO UP ON MANNING AVENUE AUG. 1 FRESNO - A love of drawing has paid off for 10-year-old Marci Thiessen of Reedley. The Washington Elementary School sixth-grader won the California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! Campaign poster contest and will see her creation on a Manning Avenue billboard near Reedley for the month of August. "I think it's kind of neat and exciting," Thiessen said. For her colorful poster depicting an image of herself balancing a bowl of fruit and vegetables, Thiessen also won a mountain bike, a helmet and a backpack full of useful goodies. The poster reads: "Here's To My Health." Children 5 to 11 years old were eligible to draw posters on entry forms that were available in April at all SaveMart grocery stores from Stanislaus to Tulare counties. Theissen's was the best of 555 entries. The artists who submitted the top entries at each SaveMart store also received backpacks. "It was nice to acknowledge the best poster from every store," said Kevin Miyasaki, manager of the Reedley SaveMart where Thiessen turned in her entry. "For the grand prize winner's artwork to be displayed on a local billboard is tremendous. I think all the kids learned a lot and had fun." The California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! Campaign encourages children ages 5 to 11 to eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables daily. The benefits of eating "5 a day" include a reduced risk of developing chronic childhood and adult diseases like obesity, diabetes, and ultimately, heart disease and osteoporosis. For more information, including a pamphlet for parents with tips to encourage their preteens to eat healthy and stay active, call (559) 456-7504 or visit the California 5 a Day Web site at www.ca5aday.com. The California Department of Health Services, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Public Health Institute directs the California Children's 5 a Day-Power Play! Campaign. The campaign's Fresno Region, which stretches from Tulare to Stanislaus counties in the San Joaquin Valley, is administered by staff at the University of California Cooperative Extension in Fresno County. It is co-sponsored by the California Department of Education, California Department of Food and Agriculture, American Cancer Society, the produce industry and other agencies concerned with children's health. |