August 4, 2016

‘Prancing pumpkin’ Seeks vendors, volunteers to partner on healthy lifestyles event

Pre-registration for 5K run/walk being taken online now

Contact:
Christopher Tittel, Public Information Officer
Christopher.Tittel@FLHealth.gov
(850) 606-8190

Tallahassee, Fla.—The Florida Department of Health in Leon County is teaming up with Move Tallahassee and Whole Child Leon on a communitywide activity designed to promote routine exercise as part of a healthy lifestyle.

The Prancing Pumpkin 5K Run/Walk and Children’s Obstacle Course is scheduled 7 a.m.-noon on September 24 at Tom Brown Park in Tallahassee.

Organizers are currently looking for vendors -- especially those who promote good nutrition, fitness and health -- and volunteers to join the event.

Vendors and volunteers can contact Megan Reimer, Healthiest Weight Florida coordinator at DOH-Leon, at (850) 606-8271.

For those who wish to be timed on the 5K (3.1-mile) course, DOH-Leon is pre-registering runners and walkers online now through September 21.

For those who do not wish to be timed on the course, the department is pre-registering runners and walkers online now and will take registrations in person starting at 7 a.m. on the day of the event.

Registration is free and open to all ages and all skill levels.

Race time is 8:30 a.m., with the children’s obstacle course starting at 10 a.m.

To register, visit https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/PrancingPumpkin5k .

For more information on the event, visit http://prancingpumpkin5k.strikingly.com/ .

DOH-Leon promotes healthy lifestyles through Healthiest Weight Florida, the Florida Department of Health’s campaign to fight the obesity epidemic with the goal of Florida having the healthiest weights in the nation.

The most recent FDOH data indicates that about 48 percent of Leon County adults are “insufficiently active,” 28.6 percent are considered “overweight” and 27.8 percent are considered “obese.”

In addition to bringing down the weight, routine exercise can help prevent some of the leading causes of death in the county, including cancer, heart disease, stroke, chronic lower respiratory disease and diabetes.

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About the Florida Department of Health

The department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.FloridaHealth.gov.