The Ball State College of Health is dancing to fight obesity.
Cardinal Zumba is a new program this year taking place at East Harvest Christian Church in Muncie.
The program, headed by Dr. Shannon Powers and Dr. Christina Jones, aims to help inform the community about the benefits of nutritional eating. Participants also exercise and stay fit through the use of rhythmic aerobics, more commonly known as Zumba.
Taking place every Monday and Thursday from now through December 7th, participants go through a brief health screening before participating in Zumba.
Students from the College of Health will then re-screen the participants in three months, hopefully showing significant improvements in their health courtesy of the exercise and healthy food choices.
Made possible from grants, Dr. Powers reported that the program has received around 50-thousand dollars worth of funding, with their goal set for 100-thousand.
The program has also acquired a bus which they plan to use to go and pick up participants who are unable to find transportation for the colder fall and winter months.
Each night begins at 6:30 and runs through 7:45 p.m., with about fifty minutes of dancing and a nutritional presentation along with free samples to follow. The program is free of charge, in hopes members of the community will get motivated to get in shape.
