AHA and Enmarket donate sports equipment to local school

June 22, 2023

Savannah Business Journal Staff Report

June 13, 2023 – The American Heart Association, a global force for longer, healthier lives, and Enmarket, a local sponsor of the Southern Coast Heart Ball, presented Gadsden Elementary School with sporting equipment and balls of all kinds to promote physical activity during childhood.

The American Heart Association’s “Bring a Ball to the Ball” campaign provided the opportunity for Heart Ball fundraiser attendees to donate sports balls to help children in Savannah schools get active to live more heart-healthy lives.

The Association recommends that children are physically active at least 60 minutes each day to help prevent heart disease and stroke. Less than 25% of children ages 6 to 17 participate in the recommended 60 minutes of physical activity and less than 1% of children have ideal diets. The American Heart Association wants to help change those statistics and encourage physical activity and exercise in children. Participation in sports also builds self-esteem, improves social skills, and motivates children to excel academically.

“Physical activity is so important for today’s youth, not only physically but also mentally,” said Royceann Friedman, development director for the American Heart Association. “With the donation of these sports balls to Gadsden Elementary, our goal is to encourage more heart-healthy activities and time outdoors for the students in their free time.”