Two thousand Bay of Plenty children jumped, jived and smiled simultaneously for Heart Kids Week in May! That's two thousand focused faces, four thousand feet jiving and eight thousand limbs pumping – photo opportunities galore! These kids were all participating in Heart Children New Zealand's Heart Jam - the Bay's largest aerobic class.
And behind all the fun was the fantastic support for Heart Children New Zealand in true kiwi 'get in behind' style - gold coin donations from each child taking part in Heart Jam will raise funds for Heart Children. But more importantly it was a learning experience for the children about the plight of Kiwi kids with heart conditions, and the great benefits of exercise to a healthy heart.
This was the first Heart Jam to hit New Zealand and it happened right here in the Bay.
"Heart Jam is a great new addition to our Heart Children national awareness week. We are trialling it here in the Bay of Plenty as this is where the idea was generated," said Sarah Bell, Acting CEO for Heart Children New Zealand.
