DSS Division of Early Care & Education and the USC Women’s Basketball Team partner for the 5th Annual Health & Fitness Game
February 14, 2018
The South Carolina Department of Social Services, Division of Early Care & Education recently hosted the Fifth Annual Health & Fitness Game Sunday with the University of South Carolina Women’s Basketball Team at the Colonial Life Arena in Columbia, SC. The purpose of the event was to promote healthy food and physical activity for young children and their families. Public service announcements featuring Head Coach Dawn Staley were shown during the game. Booths, activities, prizes and giveaways celebrated the fun and benefits of healthy food and physical activity.
Head Coach Staley, three-time gold medal Olympian and 2013 inductee to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, said, “Physical activity and healthy eating are a vital part of our children’s success and health in life. I hope that by bringing children and their families to a family-friendly event that celebrates physical activity, making healthy choices and teamwork, we encourage children to play more, eat smarter and enjoy being physically active.”
Like previous years, this year DSS gave a limited number of game tickets free of charge to children who attend Head Start and their fathers in support of Head Start’s Fatherhood Initiative. “DSS is proud to provide this opportunity for the fifth year in a row,” said Amber Gillum, Deputy Director of Economic Services at DSS. “We appreciate Coach Staley and the Lady Gamecocks for their efforts to raise awareness about the importance of healthy eating and physical activity, and for helping us create a fun and memorable experience for South Carolina’s young children and their families.” The Health & Fitness games have been successes in the past four years with several South Carolinian foster and adoptive families receiving recognition for their outstanding commitment to the betterment of SC’s children by receiving a game ball at the game. This year, DSS honored a family in the same way.
South Carolina Women’s Basketball Coach Dawn Staley presented Sunday’s game ball to the S.C. Adoptive Family of the Year. Kevin and Victoria Devall of Greenvilleadopted a sibling group of four children from foster care. DSS Deputy Director of Economic Services, Amber Gillum, is at far left.
