Kids have a ball

Cold winds and rain couldn’t keep Michaela Karrick and Madison Butcher away from the blow-up basketball station outside Columbia’s Activity and Recreation Center Tuesday night.

The two girls spent their time at the Spring Health and Fitness Expo shooting hoops, while Michaela’s mother, one of the event’s organizers, checked out booths inside. The event, which drew 224 participants, was part of Columbia’s Sixth Annual Bike, Walk and Wheel Week.

“We’re hoping to get kids interested in exercise and physical activity,” said Columbia Youth Basketball Association Treasurer Dean Berry, whose group provided the hoops and basketballs.

Other booths inside the free expo gave visitors the opportunity to check various health indicators, including bone density, skin damage, cholesterol and diabetes risk. The booths were sponsored by local health-related businesses and groups, such as Columbia Parks and Recreation, Columbia Jazzercise, the Columbia/Boone County Health Department and PedNet.

“The main objective of this event is to bring services to the community and promote health and fitness awareness,” event chair Tery Donelson said.

For the second year, the expo was held in conjunction with a health and fitness awards ceremony presented by Mayor Darwin Hindman. The awards recognized 17 community members who made significant improvements to their health over the past year.