Step Up Florida! Photos

Volusia County - Day One

The west coast route started at the Seminole/Volusia county line where Gloria Luther, VCHD Health Promotion & Education Coordinator met three time Race Across America champion, Rob Kish, to begin his 47 mile trek, across Volusia County. After riding through Gemini Springs State Park, Rob proceeded to Deltona where he was joined by Derek Nagus and Louise Gerbes, both physical education instructors for Discovery Elementary. Coaches Nagus and Gerbes completed a run around the schoolyard and all 901 students at the school participated in special 30 minute exercises to raise heart rates during their regular P.E. class time.

The next stop on his way across Volusia county was at Orange City Elementary where Rob Kish met SAC parent Melissa Harty, her daughters Olivia, Rachel and Ali and her mother who advanced the flag during their mile walk through Orange City before passing the flag off to Kurt Jennings and Heather Will, Environmental Health employees, at the Orange City extension of the Volusia County Health Department.

Heather and Rob biked from Orange City to the DeLand extension of the Volusia County Health Department while Kurt Jennings ran along side them. The trio was joined by VCHD employee walkers upon their arrival in DeLand.

After leaving the health department, Rob Kish stopped at The House Next Door where he was met by Gail Hallman for a walk to the YMCA where local residents engaged in the normal daily fitness activities.

The next stop on the west route was at the United Way where Rob was joined by Tim Sylvia & Amy Vogt who then walked with the flag to the intersection of LPGA Boulevard and International Speedway Boulevard.

Rob Kish then proceeded to bike to the Daytona Speedway before proceeding on to Daytona Beach Community College where he was met by Diana Joy and Natalie Kopp who are members of the fast pitch softball team for DBCC. Diana and Joy joined Rob for a run around the DBCC campus before Rob began the last leg of his journey to the Plaza Resort & Spa.

Chad Truxall (husband of Rachel, WIC Nutritionist) started out the Step Up Florida east coast route at Oak Hill Elementary where the entire student body including school principal, Linda Reader, walked a two mile course around the school yard. The course had been plotted out by the Physical Education instructor, Robert Schultz. Many thanks to Linda Reader and Coach Schultz for their enthusiastic participation in our Step Up Florida event.

The second stop on the east coast route was at Edgewater Public Elementary where Chad Truxall joined the jump roping club in a special activity scheduled by the physical education instructor, Coach Michael Strouse. Our thanks go to Coach Strouse and Edgewater Public Elementary school principal, Lynda Moore for allowing us to visit their school and join in their physical activity event.

Next, Chad rode by Read Patillo Elementary and Coronado Beach Elementary schools in New Smyrna Beach where the students involved in their regular physical education classes cheered him on before continuing on to the city of Port Orange.

A mile south of Port Orange Elementary, Chad parked his bike and was joined by his wife, Rachel, who is seven months pregnant. Chad and Rachel were greeted by the cheering Mile Club students at Port Orange Elementary as they jogged into the schoolyard with the flag.

Brendan Rodenberg, who is the son of VCHD Director Dr. Howard Rodenberg and a student at Port Orange Elementary, was happy to help Chad carry the flag.

The Beachcombers Running Club and Chad Truxall then proceeded to carry the flag across the Dunlawton Avenue bridge in Port Orange over to Daytona Beach Shores and onto Daytona Beach to complete their 7.93 mile run up the east coast where they were joined by Rob Kish at the Plaza Resort & Spa.

The activities at the plaza Resort & Spa included a Health Expo that started noon and continued throughout the day until 5:00...

...the Spruce Creek High School Girls' Volleyball Team game,...

...and beach walkers from the Mary McLeod Bethune Community Center.

Our program on 02/18/04 was capped off with speeches from VCHD Director, Dr. Howard Rodenberg...

...Volusia County Councilman, Reggie Williams...

...and Deputy Secretary of Health for the state of Florida, Dr. Bonnie Sorensen.

Volusia County - Day Two

The route to Flagler county started back at the Plaza Resort & Spa where Patrick Johnson, met Beachcombers Courtney Dunham and Colleen Nicoulin to begin their run to City Island Library where they were met by Sue Habel who walked with the flag to the PACE Center for Girls.

Bill Drahos, VCHD Human Services Program Manager biked with the flag while PACE Center walkers, Alex Pagan, Stefanie Reynolds & Kerrie Maira followed along to Bethune Cookman College where they were met by Chuck Ross, who is a VCHD WIC employee.

Chuck and Bill then advanced the flag to the Division of Blind Services (DBS), where they were joined by DBS Instructor, Steve Luther, and walkers Linda Warren and Richard Silva for a walk to Daytona Beach YMCA.

Upon their arrival at the YMCA, Director David Dewkett, biked with the flag to the Volusia County Health Department in Daytona Beach.

The employees at VCHD had several physical activity events including a one mile walk at both the Daytona Beach and New Smyrna Beach facilities, jump roping classes, and the grand opening of the VCHD Wellness Team sponsored employee exercise room. The flag was advanced to LPGA Boulevard by VCHD employees and runners, Barbara Harrison and Paul Minshew where they were met by Cyclist Martin Vollebregt from Ormond Beach YMCA.

Cyclist Martin Vollebregt biked with the flag to Ormond Beach YMCA where members were engaged in physical activities aimed at increasing their heart rate and the flag was turned over to Ormond Beach Police Department officer Jim Doggett.

Ormond Beach Police Department officers Millie Doubleday ran as officers Daaron Rudolff and Ken Hayes biked five miles with the flag to the Tomoka State Park entrance.

At the Tomoka State Park entrance VCHD Director Dr. Howard Rodenberg, VCHD Executive Community Health Nursing Director Patrick Johnson and Dinah Pulver from the Daytona Beach News Journal carried the flag on the leg of it's journey through Volusia County via the Tomoka State Park Loop into Flagler county where they were met by Bonnie Welter, Community Health Nursing Director for Flagler County Health Department.