By Wally Feldt

Rhett Jones jump ropes with students from Parkview Elementary.

On Saturday, Feb. 20, students from the University of Montana Western grabbed jump ropes and joined students from the Parkview Elementary school for the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart.

The Montana Western students were members of the HIP (Humans in Performance) club and Bulldog athletic teams. Curtis Quigley of Helena, Mont. and Gerriuh Nay of Rupert, Idaho were the UMW student organizers.

“The event gave us the opportunity to work with the younger kids and show them the  benefits of a healthy and active lifestyle,” Quigley said. “We want to be good role models and this program is perfect for that.”

The program was held in conjunction with the American Heart Association’s nation-wide program to raise children’s’ awareness of their own heart and the importance of proper exercise.

“We sponsored the Jump Rope For Heart event for two reasons,” HIP advisor Megan Chilson said. “First, to provide a service to the community, specifically the elementary school and, second, to provide an opportunity for Health and Human Performance students to coordinate, plan, and run an event of this caliber. I was extremely impressed with the outcome of the event.”

The Montana Western students designed a series of jumping stations for the Parkview students. There were also brief presentations on healthy eating habits.

“We all got together and collaborated on the jumping stations,” Nay said. “We remembered the jumping games we played when we were their age and went from there.”

In all, the efforts raised $1,402.13 for the American Heart Association to help in education, new medicines, and treatments for heart diseases.

“Curtis and Gerriuh did an excellent job in planning the event and the other students were amazing in how they stepped up to plan their stations as well as help to be ‘big buddies,’” Chilson added.  “As I observed, I don’t know who had more fun, the ‘big buddies’ or the ‘little buddies’ and I guess that is what made it such a successful event.”