Cody CDC promotes fun, family, physical fitness for military child month

Dozens of Cody Child Development Center families enjoyed a day of physical activity, including a quarter-mile color run, during the center's third Family Fitness Fun Day April 15.

"I enjoy doing stuff with her," said Yovanda Leffane, who attended the event for the second year in a row with her 4-year old daughter, Fadiah. "It's mommy-daughter time."

Self-paced stations set up outside the center on the Fort Myer portion of the joint base challenged the families to jump rope, do planks and stay upright on a core balance disc. Upbeat music helped keep participants energized throughout the stations and run.

"The idea is that moms and dads, sisters and brothers are going together," Sunny Smith, Cody CDC director said. "It's all about fitness."

Air Force Capt. Jill Raps and her husband Doug brought their daughters, Emma and Leah, to the event.

"We knew the color run was today for the Month of the Military Child, so we decided to come out together as a family and celebrate," Jill said.

Jaxson Mentzer, 5, donned a white bodysuit to take part in the color run in which he and other participants were sprayed with paint.

"I'm actually kind of scared," he said of getting sprayed with paint.

Jaxson's father, Eddy, is the associate director of Family and Readiness Policy in the Office of the Secretary of Defense.

"It's great that the CDC and the Army in general is promoting fitness for our kids," he said. "It's just a super opportunity for the kids to get out here."

The event was part of Cody's celebration of April as Month of the Military Child.