Local teen using summer to teach fitness to youth

Local teenager Taylor Cation is spending her summer vacation helping to teach kids the importance of fitness.

Cation, a sophomore at Fort Scott High School, has spent the last few weeks volunteering her time to help coordinate the Mercy Health for Life Fit-n-Fun program, a physical fitness program designed for area youth 7-13 years of age. She participated in the program for several years in the past.

Cation said she is involved with the program because she wanted to donate time toward helping coordinate activities and to spend time with children in the program.

"It's really fun and I like to help kids -- they're really nice," she said. "It's good to give back to the community, and they (kids) deserve it ... and they have fun, too."

Each June, Mercy Health for Life offers the Fin-n-Fun program to encourage children to use creative and fun methods of exercise to establish a lifelong fitness routine. The program has been in existence for seven years and is co-sponsored by Valu Merchandisers. This year, 27 kids are enrolled in the program, a Mercy Health for Life statement said.

In the program, coordinators schedule several activities that are geared toward teaching children about the benefits of fitness and staying healthy. On Thursday, the last day of the program, participants were able to enjoy a water slide and a variety of water activities to cool off from the recent heat wave in the area. Participants also took part in relays and received T-shirts at the conclusion of the program, Cation said.

Cation said she has been working as an assistant instructor in the program this year.

"I help them (kids) do what they need done," she said. "There is testing to see how they have improved and we keep track of all their stats."

Laurie Bollinger and Julie Lattimer, coordinators of the Fit-n-Fun program, commended Cation for her personal commitment to the program.

"She was a star student in Fit-n-Fun in the past, but now she desires to give back to the program that she enjoyed so much when she was younger," Bollinger said.

Cation's experience with the program has proven to be an asset to both instructors and children in the program, Lattimer added.

"Taylor has been a great assistant," she said. "Often, there are multiple activities happening simultaneously. Since Taylor is familiar with the program, she is able to help supervise and instruct the participants."

Bollinger added, "It is wonderful to have her help. She is an awesome young lady."

For more information about the Fit-n-Fun program, call (620) 223-7073.