The last weekend of September in Dallas didn’t have to be about deep-fried foods at the State Fair. The United Way Health and Wellness Fair, presented by Cigna and Texas Instruments, held at Klyde Warren Park, offered delectable but fitness-friendly treats via a “Ready, Set, Cook and Eat” contest.
TI employees from Communications and Finance, along with employees of Cigna and PrimeLending, volunteered at the health fair to help create a fun-filled family day focused on health and fitness.
The daylong festival featured free health and fitness activities, including health screenings, flu shots, educational puppet shows and interactive field day activities, such as inflatables from the Cowboys, Stars and Mavericks; face painting; arts and crafts; and more. The occasion marked the fifth “Nine for 90” event in the series of nine community service projects presented by TI. “Nine for 90” is part of the United Way of Metropolitan Dallas 90th Anniversary Celebration, presented by AT&T.
One highlight was a healthy cooking contest with a panel of judges that included Dallas Cowboys legend Preston Pearson, TI Chief Financial Officer Kevin March and Terri West, TI senior VP of Communications & Investor Relations, who all sampled the culinary delights prepared by selected families.
“I love my fried and not-so-good for you food as much as the next guy,” said Pearson. “But there is no doubt that healthy food choices lead to a healthy life. And healthy choices don’t mean tasteless choices. There are plenty of great tasting alternatives that will keep you fit and happy.”
“What a great opportunity to be at Klyde Warren Park with our volunteers interacting with people from throughout our community and providing experiences and information that will improve lives, “ said Terri. “A healthy diet promotes optimal growth and development in children and impacts how well they learn. We believe that United Way’s focus on improving the health of children and families will make a difference across our entire region.”
“I attended with my two and four year olds, and they had a blast,” said TI employee Laura Kaleinani Harvey. “It is wonderful that TI is involved in activities like this!”
“Nine for 90” service projects focus on United Way’s impact areas of education, income and health – the building blocks for strong families and thriving communities.
