Brava

May 2013

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work to inspire A4 Healthy Mission Tri School's race against childhood obesity By Leigh Mills For Katie Hensel, a mom of a 1-year-old daughter, life is about three things: health, fitness and family. So when she and her husband started their family a few years ago, her decision to leave a major company and start a nonprofit was a natural transition. "I wanted to do something meaningful," explains Hensel. "And I saw a great need for positive athletic events for kids to fight childhood obesity." In February of 2011, Tri 4 Schools was born. The organization provides triathlon-based programming for kids. And it's the only one in the country that also acts as a fundraiser, giving money directly to schools. Here's how it works: Every time a child signs up for an event, they choose the school that will benefit from their entry fee. Seventy-five percent of the fee goes to the school of choice, and the other 25 percent goes to the five adopted schools the organization picks every year. Then Hensel uses sponsorships and grants to cover the cost of the race. In 2012, 697 athletes participated in events, and Tri 4 Schools donated $17,610 to school health and fitness resources. "I've seen a lot of kids getting out there for their first event and signing up again," explains Hensel energetically. The impact of being in the race is contagious, Hensel says. "I've had a lot of positive reactions from teachers and parents," she explains. "They see these kids trying new things, and then tell me it inspires them to make healthy changes in their own lives. That's really cool." But as an athlete herself, Hensel is always setting a new goal. "I think we have a ways to go in terms of reaching my target population: minorities and lower income families," she explains. "We need to make inroads into the community to reach kids who need this. That is the biggest hurdle right now." New this year, Tri 4 Schools is adding a mud run, which Hensel says is an affordable and fun option for kids scared of swimming or bikes. They're also adding an adaptable race to the two triathlons for kids with disabilities. "I want to be able to offer as many opportunities as possible for kids to be active," Hensel says. ••• The 2013 Tri 4 Schools season kicks off this month. Here's the 2013 lineup: May 4—Waunakee Triathlon May 18—Verona Mud Run August 17—Middleton Triathlon (presented by Fourier Fitness) September 29—Fun Run with Henry Vilas Zoo October 26—Verona Mud Run Leigh Mills is the evening anchor at NBC 15 in Madison. Reach her at lmills@nbc15.com. Watch Tri 4 Schools featured on NBC 15 News at 5 with Leigh on May 16. What it is: Tri 4 Schools is devoted to ending childhood obesity in Dane County through youth swimming, biking and running events, and by supporting school health and fitness programs. 32 BRAVA Magazine What they do: Tri 4 Schools creates five athletic events a year for kids ages 3 to 14. May 2013 How to help: Tri 4 Schools relies on donations from businesses, individuals and grants to offset their operational costs. It also needs 120 volunteers for each event. To donate, sponsor an event or volunteer, contact katie@tri4schools.com. For more information: Visit tri4schools.com. Photo by Shanna Wolf Nonprofit Profile: Tri 4 Schools

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