The following text may have been generated by Optical Character Recognition, with varying degrees of accuracy. Reader beware!

The after-school program is not for ath- letes. It is for anyone, no matter their athletic ability or lack thereof. “It's designed at teaching kids how to live a healthy, active lifestyle through sports, get them off the computer, get them off the video games," he said. Starting Sept. 7, Mr. O’Donnell, who owns and operates the not-for-profit company Atlas Fitness for Youth, in conjunction with the Town of Whitchurch-Stoufl'ville, will be offering an afterâ€"school program at EastRidge Evangelical Missionary Church designed to provide kids aged nine to 14 a holistic approach to developing lifelong habits of active and healthy living. Mr. O’Donnell changed his kids’ after- school routine to get them more active and now he wants to do that for other Stouffville children. “When I came home from school when I was young, we’d do our homework, get a snack and be outside with our fn’ends," he said. That is, until one day when Mr. O’Donnell stepped out of his home oflice to see his chil- dren shortly after they had come home from school and found one of them playing a video game, another one watching TV and the third at the computer. BY SANDRA BOLAN sbolan@yrmg.com Jim O’Donnell has played hockey for most of his life, has been a coach for 10 years and thought he and his wife were raising their three children to live a life as active as theirs. W555: Sports, snacks part of non-profit program Dad has healthy after-school plans for Stouffville kids “To live an active lifestyle doesn’t mean “No unhealthy snacks," Mr. O’Donnell said. “I’m not going to say don’t eat any chips ever. It's about eating a healthy, balanced diet, all the food groups." “Ireallylike thepersonal-bestfocusbecause they’re just competing with themselves," said Micole Ongman, manager of recreation for the Town of VVlfitchurch-Stoufl‘ville. Snacks will also be provided, which will incipde and vegetables. What makes the program unique is there is no set goal for the end. Along with Mr. O'Donnell, there will be high school students on hand to assist the younger students in learning how to Imanoeu- we the basketball or volleyball courts, as well help introduce them to baseball, running, mountain biking, golf and any other sport the kids have an interest in. you have to be a sports professional," ML O’Donnell said. And because EastRidge is a bit difficult for Mr. O’Donnell stepped out of his home office to see his children shortly after they had come home from school and found one of them playing a video game, another one watching and the third at the computer. “I'm the kind Of guy who likes to get involved, do the sports, do the activities with the kids," he said. In preparation for the after-school pro- gram, Mr. O’Donnell ran a March break camp as well as a five-week summer camp, in which he lost 15 pounds. kids to walk to after school, a free shuttle service will be available for participants. Parents will have to make arrangements to pick up their children at the end of each day. MMMDXHDIHM M'smmfinfiu Stouffville 905-640-4411 5892 Main I‘he after~school program runs from 3 to Mankind Wellness Promo Offer valid with coupon through September 25, 2010 pages/programdetails.htm “It’s flexible because kids are doirig difi‘er- ent things after school,” Mr. O’Donnell said. E' Registration can be done through the town at the Lebovic Leisure Centre. 6 pm. at the Tenth Line church. The monthly cost ranges from $230 for two days a week, to $330 for all five days a week. The program mm for the entire school year, but spaqe can be booked on a monthly basis For more details. go to mafiasfitnessforyoum.com/