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Clay Center Fitness Event Offers Something for Kids and Adults: ; Avampato Museum Hosting 'Get Fit' Day Scheduled for Saturday

Posted on: Saturday, 30 April 2005, 00:00 CDT

DAILY MAIL STAFF

The mighty Power Pack - Axe, Pyro, Hydro and Gusty - are electrified by the prospect of working out with kids and adults at the Avampato Discovery Museum's "Get Fit" Saturday.

The West Virginia Power baseball mascots and Charleston Charley will participate in the health and fitness day from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Clay Center.

Lewis Ferguson, the museum's educator and workshop coordinator, explained that since one of the museum's focuses is health, having a day of health, wellness, sports and fitness is a perfect fit.

"We all can improve our lifestyles," he said, "plus we wanted to make people more aware of health and fitness opportunities and advantages in our area."

Guests can meet health professionals who will offer answers to health questions during the Hall of Health that is ongoing throughout the day.

"We'll have a pediatric dentist and orthodontist, a hearing specialist who will be doing screenings for hearing problems," Ferguson said, "and we'll have a massage therapist who will be doing chair massages. We'll also have a chiropractic physician doing spinal screenings and representatives from a food service."

Most of the activities are geared to youngsters, but the event is open to all ages. There will be story times at 11:30 a.m., 1:30 and 3:30 p.m. and you can let your imagination go wild by making cereal necklaces throughout the day.

For kids and maybe some grownups, Dan Connery will be leading sessions in basic yoga techniques.

Connery has been a yoga practitioner for 12 years. He teaches at the YWCA and at the new Namaste Yoga on Quarrier Street in addition to private lessons. The 34-year-old works with people of all abilities in his classes.

"I teach about every level," he said. "We have gentle yoga classes and some that are more vigorous. I have a broad range of students in the 17 classes I teach each week."

For the kid sessions at the museum at noon and 2 p.m. Saturday, his strategy will be to start with some basic stretches and go from there.

"Like they say, first I have to get their attention," he said with a smile, "and then we'll make it fun to keep their attention."

"Yoga is hard to explain," he said. "It sort of evolves as you practice. It's the little things that yoga helps that is so rewarding, from relieving stress to total relaxing techniques. It's all there."

Following an injury, Connery started swimming and yoga was the natural progression from there.

"I was a dancer and because of the injury I couldn't do that any more," he explained. "I got a yoga tape and just fell into it."

In addition to the yoga session from Connery, the museum will offer the "Physics of Sports" at 1, 2 and 3 p.m. and a fitness challenge that will continue from noon to 4 p.m.

"We'll have stations set up where the kids can do all kinds of activities," Ferguson said. "The kids can release some energy with jumping jacks, running in place and more. And if they complete the entire challenge, they will get a prize."

A healthy day would not be complete without a visit to Health Royale, the museum's award-winning interactive health and science exhibit.

All of the day's activities are free for museum members and are included in the admission price for guests.

Source: Charleston Daily Mail

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