Rotary event brings out hundreds to fight childhood obesity

Bright sunshine brought out more than 300 people to the second annual Rotary Walks! The Hike for Healthy Kids on Saturday, April 26.

The event was presented by the Bellevue Breakfast Rotary Club.

A recent University of Washington study shows that nearly 25 percent of teenagers in the state are overweight or obese and 58 percent of adults weigh too much. The study cites lack of exercise as a key factor.

The goal of the event was to combat child obesity and raise awareness of healthy lifestyle choices for children. Proceeds from the event will be used locally to provide scholarships to area students, feed the hungry, provide books and services for literacy projects, grant youth exchanges, support homeless families, and more.

Some of the proceeds also will be used to combat polio and provide clean water to children in developing countries.

Starting from Bellevue City Hall, the 7K event took participants south through Bellefields Nature Park in a loop back to the start on Northeast Fourth Street.

To get the festivities under way, members of the Seahawks’ Blue Thunder and a contingent of Sea Gals were on hand.

Key sponsors of the event included Brooks; GLY Construction; Microsoft Vista; Pratt Legacy Advisors; Kornfeld, Trudell, Bowen & Lingenbrink, attorneys; Powell Development Co.; Overlake Hospital Medical Center; Alvin Goldfarb Jeweler; Bratrud Middleton Insurance; Fastsigns Bellevue; City of Bellevue; Ben Bridge; and Children’s Hospital & Regional Medical Center.