More than 600 kids — including 15 from Mercer Island — unleashed copious amounts of energy and excitement as they roamed University of Washington’s Husky Stadium on July 25 at Summer Field Day.
It was a ton of fun, Mercer Islander Jayme Hommer said of the healthy and growing experience within the long-running event that was hosted by Boys & Girls Clubs of King County (BGCKC) and UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington.
Hommer, who is the chief development officer of BGCKC, noted that the three-and-a-half-hour event was overflowing with activities and featured football drills with about 10 members of the UW team, aerobics, rugby, ultimate Frisbee, jump roping, dodge ball, golf, soccer and running.
The Mercer Island participants, which included Hommer’s 12-year-old son Elliott, were part of the local club’s Teen Excursion program. Overall, 31 clubs were represented at the event and sent attendees from kindergarten age through high school age to the Husky purple-and-gold W-emblazoned gridiron.
“My favorite part about Field Day was meeting the University of Washington football players with my friends — especially the defensive players. It was really fun to try different activities. Plus, Molly Moon’s ice cream is delicious,” said Elliott, giving a nod to part of the day’s menu.
Added Jayme about kids from throughout the county meeting and interacting with each other: “They get to come together, be physically active, learn about healthy lifestyles, which is one of the core programmatic pillars of Boys & Girls Clubs of King County and all Boys & Girls Clubs. That includes also taking care of your mental health and also learning about healthy eating habits.”
UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington donated $5,000 to fund the vital event and is proud to collaborate with BGCKC, said Mandy Lee, the healthcare organization’s Maternal Health Program Manager.
According to a press release, BGCKC has been a leader in life-changing youth development programs for more than 16,000 participants for 80 years. Its safe and inclusive places include before- and after-school offerings, summer camps and athletics.
“It is important we encourage more youth to get active to support both their physical and mental health. At UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington, we are committed to helping people live healthier lives,” Lee said.
Volunteers who tirelessly ran the Field Day sessions ensured that every attendee was involved in each activity, Jayme said. She added that it was heartening to see the kids make new friends while getting to experience and succeed at myriad sports along the way.
“They feel great and they feel proud. Everyone who works at Boys & Girls Club, that’s why we show up and do this work every day, because we want to empower young people. We want to give them those opportunities to feel really special and to be recognized for the awesome individuals they are,” Jayme said.
Elliott’s dad, Jon, grew up on the Island and attended the club as a youngster, Jayme said. And now the Islander Middle School rising seventh-grader is following in his father’s footsteps along with his fellow youth athletes.
For more information about Boys & Girls Clubs of King County, visit https://positiveplace.org/
Health E. Hound high fives kids at Summer Field Day. Photo courtesy of UnitedHealthcare Community Plan of Washington
