We held our annual Fitness Fun for Everyone event last Saturday at Loyola Academy. We are so grateful for everyone who attended the event (and for the beautiful weather we had!).

Instead of our traditional 5K run/3K walk, attendees participated in interactive fitness stations. The activities were:

• Field goal kick

• Cheer moves

• Inflatable lawn bowling

• 50-yard dash

• Wheel of exercises (spinning a wheel and doing the exercise shown on the wedge on which they landed)

• Soccer goal kick

• Bozo Buckets/bean bag toss

• Alphabet workout

• Animal race (crab walk, bear crawl, horse race)

• Pool noodle javelin

• Stretching/yoga

• Walk a lap around the track

Amazing student volunteers from Loyola Academy ran the stations and encouraged the attendees to try out all the fitness activities. We ended the event with a group Zumba dance party, led by our fantastic Zumba instructor Fernando Serrano and assisted by the Loyola Academy cheerleading and poms teams.

The Fitness Fun for Everyone Field Day was a success because of the contributions of many wonderful individuals. In addition to all the attendees who came to the event, we express our deepest thanks to:

• Loyola Academy for allowing us to host the event on their campus. In particular, we thank Jennifer, John, and Matt who helped with planning, equipment, set-up, clean-up, and more.

• The Adult Down Syndrome Center Council of Advisors for their support in planning and running the event. Several of the members volunteered on Saturday. We want to mention Carrie Nicholson specifically for her integral role in organizing the event. She connected us with Loyola Academy, recruited the student volunteers, donated supplies, and so much more. We also want to thank Tom Gawel for being the event photographer and capturing so many joyful moments.

• Rich Pawelko, Tim Scott, and Creations Unlimited for continuing to provide our signature tie-dye t-shirts.

• Dr. Caitlin Schorsch and Dr. Brooke Matz, Family Medicine residents at Advocate Lutheran General Hospital, for leading our first aid station.

• All the volunteers who make this event possible.

• The Adult Down Syndrome Center staff

• Ally Regnier, Kerry Neville, and the Advocate Charitable Foundation team who co-host this event with us.

We hope you will join us next year for another fun-filled fitness field day!