Healthy Hockeytown Kids: Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health Team Up to Champion Youth Wellness
July 31, 2024
Categories: Children's Health, Health and Wellness, The Farm at Trinity Health
Beyond the roar of the crowd at Little Caesars Arena, another game-changing initiative is underway in communities across southeast Michigan. The Healthy Hockeytown Kids program, a partnership between the Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health, offers local children more than team spirit. It equips them with knowledge of nutrition, fitness, and financial literacy, helping set them on a path toward lifelong wellness.
Interactive Wellness Education
The Healthy Hockeytown Kids program provides interactive, hands-on experiences to educate children on wellness. For example, at a recent event at The Farm at Trinity Health Ann Arbor, approximately 60 young participants explored the world of nutrition and agriculture. They learned the importance of eating a rainbow of fruits and vegetables, harvested fresh produce, planted their own pocket gardens, and even participated in a relay race.
Building on this foundation, the program's summer series also included a cooking competition where children showcased their creativity and applied their newfound nutritional knowledge to prepare healthy meals.
“As a chef and somebody who loves feeding people, it’s really rewarding for me to see the passion kids have for food and cooking,” said Bryan Nader, executive chef at Trinity Health. “I’m thrilled to share my love of food with them through this incredible partnership and am grateful to the Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health for investing their time and resources into educating the next generation.”
To conclude the summer series, the program will host a Shoes That Fit event, providing 400 Boys and Girls Club members with new, properly fitted shoes. These shoes do more than boost kids' confidence; they enable active participation in sports and other healthy activities. After being fitted with new shoes, the children will participate in an exciting hockey skills clinic led by the Red Wings’ youth hockey team, as well as fitness activities led by the team at TrinityElite Sports Performance.
Year-Round Engagement
While these summer activities highlight the program's hands-on approach, Healthy Hockeytown Kids maintains its momentum throughout the year. The program offers a diverse calendar of in-person events, along with an innovative online platform featuring educational video modules, worksheets, and an incentive kit. This approach ensures that local children have continuous opportunities to engage, learn, and grow.
A Winning Partnership
Healthy Hockeytown Kids is a collaborative initiative between the Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health. As the team's Official Health, Wellness, and Nutrition Partner, Trinity Health brings its expertise to this program, which combines the excitement of hockey with youth health education. Together, these two organizations are transforming learning about health into a fun and engaging experience for children.
“We’re proud to partner with Trinity Health for the Healthy Hockeytown Kids initiative, and to stress the importance of eating well, getting the appropriate amount of exercise, and financial education,” said Mike Singer, Senior Vice President of Corporate Partnerships for Ilitch Sports + Entertainment. “We appreciate Trinity Health’s longtime support in bringing this program to our young fans.”
The Healthy Hockeytown Kids program is more than just a partnership; it's an investment in the future of our communities. By empowering young fans to make healthy choices now, the Detroit Red Wings and Trinity Health are nurturing a generation of health-conscious, active, and engaged individuals.