The Matthew J. Kuss Middle School hosted a Family Fun Night on November 15, 2012 to engage both students and their parents in some healthy fun while learning about nutrition and a range of community resources that they can access to maintain or improve their health. Participants were offered a cooking demonstration by Southcoast Hospitals dietitian Amanda Raposo, a workout to music by Diman Regional School teacher Suzanne Ramos, and the chance to speak with representatives of agencies including BMC HealthNet Plan, BOLD, the Boys and Girls Club, Children's Advocacy Center,  Greater Fall River Re-Creation, Child and Family Services, Family and Community Support Program, Family Service Association, Fall River Mass In Motion, HealthFirst Family Care Center, Katie Brown Educational Program, People Incorporated, Saint Anne's Hospital, Saint Vincent's, Southcoast Hospitals' Cardiovascular Prevention Program, South Bay Mental Health, SSTAR, United Neighbors, United Way, WIC and Fall River YMCA. Click here for a sixteen-minute video of the event. For more information, contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard st 774-319-0107.

(Top row, left) Eleven-year-old Damian and parents Vanessa and Ana Fernandes sign in with Emily Fleet and Jasmyn Sousa at the registration table. (Top row, center) Partners School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard goes over the activities for the evening and sends people to one of three events. (Top row, right) Diman Regional School teacher Suzanne Ramos invites the first group to begin dancing to music as a way to have fun and get some exercise at the same time. (Row two) As one group dances to the tune of "YMCA", Fall River Mass In Motion Coordinator Julie Kelly talks with Principal Michael Procaccini. (Row three) Michael Pina moves to the Electric Slide with his family as another group learns about the effect of larger food portion sizes on our health from Amada Raposo of the Southcoast Hospitals Cardiac Prevention Program. (Bottom row) Betty Nunes of the HealthFirst Family Care Center talks with a young man about good dental hygiene, Donna Querim of Southcoast passes out information about cardiac health, and Gail Oliver comes up to claim a $25 bag of healthy foods that she won in the raffle at the end of the hour-long program.