Festival helps Families shop smart, healthy

By Nathan Pfau, Army Flier Staff WriterJune 5, 2014

Festival helps Families shop smart, healthy
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FORT RUCKER, Ala. (June 5, 2014) -- The Army knows that keeping an active lifestyle is key to staying healthy, but there's more to healthy living than just exercise.

That's why the Defense Commissary Agency is hosting the "Your Healthy Lifestyle Festival" at commissaries across the nation, and Fort Rucker is no exception when it comes to helping people "shop healthy, eat healthy and be healthy," said Bobby Ward, Fort Rucker Commissary store director.

The campaign will kick off June 6 and run through July 6, and Fort Rucker will jump-start the festivities with activities and demonstrations in the commissary parking lot that will promote healthy living, with the kickoff celebration lasting through Sunday.

One of the main attractions will be the commissary's "farmers market," which will feature produce from the Fort Rucker Commissary's own selection.

"Summer time is when a lot of fruits and vegetables are the freshest -- right after they're harvested -- so we're going to set up some tables outside to promote a healthy lifestyle by featuring our fruits and vegetables," said Ward. "This is to help draw attention to the healthier options of food people have here on the installation and show them what we have to offer in terms of that."

Friday, people will be able to enjoy a Zumba demonstration from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and children will be able to get their face painted from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as well. From 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday-Sunday, people will be able to enjoy a Vitamix Blender demonstration, during which they can see how to blend various fruits and vegetables to create healthy, delicious smoothies, said the store director.

Commissary employees will also be on hand cutting melons, and other fruits and vegetables for people to sample, as well as offering discounts on many items that are featured in the outside marketplace.

Saturday will feature a vegetable grilling demonstration at 11 a.m., and people can come out Sunday at 2 p.m. when the commissary will be grilling steaks and mushrooms.

"The military is all about promoting a healthy lifestyle through physical training and things like that, and it's all about promoting readiness, also," said Ward. "So, we're trying to go along with that and encourage military Families to be more healthy."

The festival is open to the public, but in order to take advantage of the commissary's savings, patrons must be valid military ID card holders.

In addition to the commissary's Farmer's market, the post exchange will be having its sidewalk sale where people can save on health and fitness products.

For more information, call 255-2212.

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Fort Rucker, Ala.

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