THE McKern Steel Foundation\u2019s Fresh Fruit Fridays program has expanded with the backing of a local semi-pro sports team.<\/p>\n
The Foundation recently partnered with the Bendigo Braves for the initiative that provides fruit to more than 11,000 children across 33 local primary schools and kindergartens each week.<\/p>\n
The McKern Foundation came out of Eaglehawk\u2019s McKern Steel and managing director Michael McKern said his team were \u201cthrilled\u201d to join forces with the Braves for the initiative.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was a lot of talk a few years ago about kids not getting enough fruit in their daily diets, so we decided to start providing fruit to kids in primary school,\u201d Mr McKern said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve had a bit of a partnership with Bendigo basketball over the past few years.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe provide the fruit weekly to the school, and either some of our staff members or some of the Braves go along to a school on a weekly basis and cut it up and share that with them and also talk to them about healthy, active living.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe get to as many as we can and we take the Braves with us, but the fruit goes to every school weekly.\u201d<\/p>\n
Community engagement officer for Bendigo Braves, Georgia Rogers, said the team wants to promote healthy eating habits in kids from an early age.<\/p>\n
“Working with professional athletes, we know how important it is to fuel our bodies with the right foods,\u201d said Ms Rogers.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are excited to partner with the McKern Steel Foundation on this important initiative, and we look forward to visiting more local schools to promote fresh fruits and a healthy lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The McKern Foundation has been running Fresh Fruit Fridays since 2015 and supports other causes as well, like the children\u2019s ward at the Bendigo Hospital, Challenge-Kids with Cancer, and the Royal Children\u2019s Hospital in Melbourne.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
THE McKern Steel Foundation\u2019s Fresh Fruit Fridays program has expanded with the backing of a local semi-pro sports team. The Foundation recently partnered with the Bendigo Braves for the initiative that provides fruit to more than 11,000 children across 33 local primary schools and kindergartens each week. The McKern Foundation came out of Eaglehawk\u2019s McKern […]<\/p>\n