|
|
| Helping kids to stay healty and fit for
life |
|
|
News Room
 |
Getting Physical
BY BILL REED
PUBLISHED AUGUST 17, 2006
THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
At 60, Richard Harris has more
ripples on his stomach than Grandma’s washboard. That’s because
he works out almost every day at a local gym.
He does it so he can
continue doing what he enjoys most, surfing and playing handball.
Harris is a financial planner who writes children’s books on
the
two topics with which he is most familiar: staying
physically fit
and handling
money.
Kids nowadays don’t eat properly, nor exercise, he
contends. And,
they have no
clue about saving or investing.
To help get his message across, Harris appears
at local
elementary schools for assembly sessions and PTA
meetings.
He spices
up his talks with physical activity,
such as
balancing on a Bongo board while speaking, or doing full-
body extensions
from a table or a nearby desk.
This gets the attention of normally blasé youngsters
accustomed to the roar and
violence in video games.
“
It was a hit,” said Nancy Chandler, principal of Pembroke
Meadows Elementary
School.
Added Patricia Slaughter, principal of Trantwood
Elementary, “Mr. Harris
was able to identify with the
students. Students were impressed by his physical
dexterity.”
For more information about Harris and his
books or appearances, visit .
|
