AHA/AHG Update: Getting the Crowd Warmed up for the Los Angeles Start! Heart Walk 2008

On Saturday September 27th, the West Coast Boot Camp/Fitness Club for Kids program got the party started for more than 10,000 runners/walkers who attended one of the biggest fundraisers for the American Heart Association each year.

Adrian Pietrariu, head of the West Coast Boot Camp and one of the founders of the Fitness Club for Kids joined KCBS News Anchor Paul Majors and led the crowd through a brisk 5 minute series of warm up and stretching activities that got the crowd pumped up and ready to start the 5K course which traveled around the LA Memorial Coliseum under overcast skies.

Joining Adrian from the West Coast Boot Camp were fitness trainers Natasha, Jenica, Jackie, Gil and Jose.

Similar Start Heart Walk events were held in numerous cities around the county that same day.



Fitness Club for Kids Helps Kids Get Fit After School at Hoover Elementary School near downtown Los Angeles

On Friday October 17th, trainers from the Fitness Club for Kids spent part of the afternoon working with more than 65 elementary school students at Hoover Elementary near downtown Los Angeles. Group of students were given opportunities to run, jump, and engage in fun and recreational fitness activities as well as take part in a nutrition seminar hosted by the Alliance for a Healthier Generation - a joint initiative between the American Heart Association and the William J. Clinton Foundation.

The Fitness Club for Kids is "Go Healthy" Champion of the AHG and volunteers its time to support events like this whenever possible.


Fitness Club for Kids Joins LA County Department of Parks and Recreation and AHG to participate in the Back to School Health Fair on August 23rd at El Cariso Park in Sylmar, California.

More than 200 children from the local communities of Sylmar, Pacoima, and San Fernando took part in health screening and testing, received free dental services, picked up free books and goodies, and received a free backpack full of supplies for the upcoming school year.

The Fitness Club for Kids set up an fun and challenging obstacle course that each child had to participate in to receive their free backpack. The Alliance for a Healthier Generation handed out valuable information about healthy foods and coloring books for the kids.