The Fall River Soda-free Summer Pledge Campaign traveled to the Boys & Girls Club of Fall River's Camp Welch in nearby Assonet on July 17, 2012 to ask over 400 children there to pledge to reduce or eliminate soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages over the rest of the summer. Sugar has no nutritional value and is a food that should be consumed only occasionally. Sugars from soda and other foods are also a major contributor to tooth decay. School Wellness coordinator Marcia Picard engaged the group in a discussion in which she pointed out that a two-liter bottle of soda contains 54 teaspoons of sugar. "How many of you would drink that much sugar if it was just dissolved in water?" she asked. Not one raised their hand. The children were quick to point out that weight gain and tooth decay were two negative outcomes of drinking soda often. The campers were asked to take home a pledge form  and an information sheet that their parents can read and post at home to remind them not to drink soda over the summer. Click here to see the video of the presentation. Click here for photos of last year's campaign. For more information, contact School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard st 774-526-7149.

(Top row) Boys and Girls Club executive director Peter McCarthy gets the children's attention before staff member Adam Coderre introduces School Wellness Coordinator Marcia Picard from Partners for a Healthier Community. (Middle row) Ms. Picard talks with the children about soda and other sugar-sweetened beverages before introducing staff member Josh Blewitt dressed as a giant tooth. (Bottom row) Adam asks that the children think about signing a pledge form that they will pick up when they return to the Club at the end of the day.