OneCranston's Chrichton honored at 'Stars Among Us'

Posted 5/29/19

On the evening of May 9 the Stars Among Us Gala, hosted by the New England Dairy & Food Council, was held at the Putnam Club East at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The fundraising gala was held to celebrate the 10th year of Fuel Up to

This item is available in full to subscribers.

Please log in to continue

E-mail
Password
Log in

OneCranston's Chrichton honored at 'Stars Among Us'

Posted

On the evening of May 9 the Stars Among Us Gala, hosted by the New England Dairy & Food Council, was held at the Putnam Club East at Gillette Stadium in Foxborough, Massachusetts.

The fundraising gala was held to celebrate the 10th year of Fuel Up to Play 60 in New England and to honor a select group of individuals whose impact on health and wellness in their schools has led to significant changes in the lives of students.

The nearly $50,000 raised from the event will be used to expand the reach of the Fuel Up to Play 60 program, which is supported locally by New England Dairy & Food Council and by the dairy farm families of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire, Vermont and eastern New York.

Expanding the program’s reach translates into more opportunities for schools to start or enhance school meal programs (breakfast or lunch) as well as summer meal programs; increase access to nutritious foods served during the school day; promote physical activity at school; and offer dairy farm-to-school educational experiences and resources to students.

Gala-goers had the chance to meet and chat with several special guests, including New England Patriots mascot Pat Patriot and cheerleaders, alumni players Steve Nelson and Pete Brock, and current player Devin McCourty, who is a former New England Fuel Up to Play 60 Player Ambassador and a forever champion of the youth wellness program.

“It gives students a voice to make positive changes in their schools. I was an ambassador for the program for five years not only because it promoted eating well and exercising, but because it empowered students to want to lead healthier lives,” McCourty said of the program.

After dinner, awards were presented to the Stars Among Us Gala honorees. One of these awards went to Ayana Crichton, former afterschool director for Cranston and currently director for the Comprehensive Community Action Program’s OneCranston initiative.

Crichton has activated Fuel Up to Play 60 in several schools in Cranston, as she believes healthy students show up to school on time and ready to learn.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is an in-school wellness program that encourages youth to consume nutrient-rich foods such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and low-fat or fat-free dairy, and achieve at least 60 minutes of physical activity every day. In the past ten years, this student-led, evidence-based program has helped more than 1.7 million kids and 3,600 schools across the region eat healthier and become more physically active.

For more information about Fuel Up to Play 60 and New England Dairy & Food Council, follow @NewEnglandDairy on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.

Comments

No comments on this item Please log in to comment by clicking here