An amazing 180 parents and students came to the Watson Elementary School on October 24, 2016 for a Family Fun Night organized by Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard. The program engages both adults and children in some healthy movement while learning about nutrition and a range of community resources that they can access to maintain or improve their health. Participants were led in some healthy movement by Fitness Leader Annemarie Holly and watched a cooking demonstration by UMass Extension SNAP-Ed nutrition educators that included a sample of the Silly Fusilli Chili recipe. Participants also had the opportunity to speak with representatives of nineteen agencies including the Bristol County District Attorney's Office, Child and Family Services, the Children's Advocacy Center, Department of Children and Families, Early Childhood/Family Community Engagement, Fall River Parent Academy, Family Service Association, Greater Fall River ReCreation, HealthFirst Dental Clinic, Katie Brown Education Program, Mass in Motion/Walk Fall River, Massachusetts MENTOR, New Bedford Vets Center, People Incorporated, Road to Healing, Saint Anne's Hospital, Southcoast Health, and Stanley Street Treatment and Resources, along with Partners for a Healthier Community covering its Soda-Free Challenge. Click here for a 28-minute video of the event. Click here for photos and video of a similar event at Argosy Collegiate School. For more information, contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard at 774-319-0107.

(Top row) Watson Elementary School staff members Diane Conway and Kim Humanson sign in families with the assistance of Liz Couto. (Row two) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard welcomes the huge crowd as she stands next to ten bags of groceries donated for door prizes by Southcoast Health and then sends them off to the three stations. (Row three) UMass Extension SNAP-ED nutrition educators Lindsay Megan and Sue Loughlin demonstrate an easy and healthy Silly Fusilli Chili recipe before Volunteer Megan McGillvray passes out samples. (Row four) Partners Fitness Leader Annemarie Holly, right, leads the group in movement to music in the third floor hallway. (Row five, right) Mary Askland and Deb Paulino of Saint Anne's Hospital talk with a parent. (Row six) Partners staff member Jack Shipley talks about the problems with sugar-sweetened beverages. (Row seven) Renee Rodrigues of HealthFirst Dental Clinic, Robin Rivers of Family Service Association, and Julie Kelly of Mass in Motion/Walk Fall River talk with parents in the resource rooms. (Bottom row) Watson Principal Cathy Carvalho draws the winning tickets for bicycle helmets and grocery bags as ten-year-old Damonii Gray takes her bag to her mother.