SVES-PTO “Family Fitness Night” A Smashing Success!

Brickhouse Strength’s Frank Donley had Panther families working hard with “battle-ropes” at the PTO’s Family Fitness Night.

It was rainy and a little chilly Friday night on the outside, but inside the Saucon Valley schools it was warm and dry. Well, it was mostly dry. Almost 300 students and parents in attendance for the first ever Family Fitness Night had flushed cheeks from physical exertion and were wet with sweat. Family Fitness Night is a unique fundraiser organized by the Saucon Valley Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO).

It was a fun-filled Friday night for all in the Saucon Valley schools.

The idea behind Family Fitness Night is two-fold. “It is a fundraiser that also promotes being active and eating healthy together as a family (it was $3 per person or $15 per family for five or more),” SV-PTO president Lynn Beller said. “One hundred percent of our proceeds help benefit the students and teachers of the elementary school. Our goal this year is to fund extra technology which helps support the students and teachers.”

Whether you you were there for a great workout or just came along for the ride, Family Fitness Night was great family fun!

Fitness Night was structured with participating families divided into one of six groups. Each group followed a schedule that had them rotate between six different stations throughout the night. Each station conducted their own activities for 20 minutes.

Family Fitness Night (circuit sample)

1. Brickhouse Strength: In the SVMS gym it was a circuit within a circuit. Brickhouse Strength offered a variety of Cross-training activities. Every minute, groups rotated to the next activity.
2. Digital Oasis Dance Party: The middle school LGI hosted a dance party courtesy of Digital Oasis. Students and their parents had some time to “free-style” and dance part of their night away!
3. Red Eagle Academy: The middle school cafeteria was buzzing with families participating in a little Tae Kwon-Do instruction. A little self-defense mixed with body awareness and  movements.
4. Mindful Kids Yoga: Yoga specialist Sara Dennehy was found in the elementary school LGI. She led participants through a variety of poses helping train the body and mind to alleviate stress and better deal with anxiety.
5. Zumba!: The elementary school cafeteria had the jams pumping as Jaci Best led students and their families in a variety of Zumba dance moves. Participants had fun getting in touch with their inner-aerobic side.
6. Battleship: It wasn’t exactly dodge-ball in the elementary school gym, but plenty of safe fun nonetheless. Led by SVES Phys-Ed. teachers Sarah Roncolato and Thad Moyer, parents squared-off against their children tossing dozens of yarn-balls across the gym trying to topple each others structures.

Mrs. Roncolato’s and Mr. Moyer’s “Battleship” was a whole lot of family fun!

As part of the fundraising efforts to address costs of field trips and assemblies, the PTO offered a basket-raffle with many great prizes!

Family Fitness Night Basket Raffle donors:

• Brickhouse Strength
• Main Street Gym
• Swim In Zone
• Saucon Valley Bikes
• Mindful Kids Yoga
• Harlem Wizards
• Saucon Valley Sporting Goods
• Arnold’s Market
• Saucon Valley Dance Conservatory
• Red Eagle Academy
• Maxx Fitness
• Juice Plus

Family Fitness Night included a basket raffle as part of their fund-raising efforts.

“The PTO appreciates all of the families that came out and tried some of these new activities. As long as there is enough interest, I think it would be a great fundraiser to do again next year; I saw a lot of smiling faces!” Beller said when asked about the future of Family Fitness Night. “Unfortunately, we are losing three board members, including myself, at the end of this school year since our children are moving up to the middle school. To continue holding fundraisers like this, we encourage more volunteers to come to our meetings and to help volunteer.”

Save the Date: The PTO’s next fundraiser is scheduled for Saturday, March 24 (2 p.m.). The Saucon Valley Teachers take on the Harlem Wizards in a family fun and friendly basketball game!

A special thanks to Lynn Beller and PTO Board Members Jodi Albanese, Amanda Bokan, Jen Brasko, Tanya Scherer and Heather Sneckenberg for coordinating such a great event and bringing it to our schools! In addition, a big thanks to Patricia Bishop, Heidi Mullen and Jim Deegan for all of their support and help making the night a success!

Thanks PTO, the Source is with you!