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Gobble Wobble – Nourishing Children Through Movement

At Kids’ Food Basket we believe that good food is the foundation of good health and good health is the foundation of a good future.

While we specialize in the nutritional aspect of good health – physical activity and exercise are a huge component of overall well-being.

Partnering with organizations such as Gazelle Sports is how we ensure that every box is checked when it comes to nourishing children to reach their full potential.

Since 2005, Gazelle Sports has joined Kids’ Food Basket in the journey of ensuring that children across West Michigan have the chance to live healthy lives.

Every year, Gazelle Sports hosts the Gobble Wobble fun run on Thanksgiving morning.

Thanksgiving Day is the busiest day of the year for endurance events.

Families enjoy starting their holiday by getting out and moving before heading home to eat their turkey meals.

It is a tradition.

As the official charity partner of the Gobble Wobble, Kids’ Food Basket is honored to be a part of that tradition.

This year, the pandemic has caused a shift in Gobble Wobble logistics – the event will be virtual.

While Gobble Wobble may look different, the heart and the reason we wobble will remain the same.

Participants will wake up on Thanksgiving morning and still run, trot or wobble the five-kilometer event, just this time it will be right from their front door.

“We have the opportunity to miss out on a lot of traditions this year like traveling and being with family,” said Cara Zerbel, Director of Brand of Gazelle Sports. “This was a chance for us to provide some amount of normalcy by the continuation of a tradition that is so beloved in our community.”

Gobble Wobble is also a way to give back to the children and families in our community who need it most.

Through the event with runner donations, registrations and community support, Gazelle Sports has donated over $175,000 to Kids’ Food Basket over the course of their 15-year history.

Making Gobble Wobble not just a movement event, but a fun run that helps provide food-insecure children and families with access to healthy, nourishing food with every step taken.

“Ultimately our business is focused on movement, but we completely understand that there is a hierarchy of needs. Food is at the foundation of what the needs are and that is the basis of building a healthy life,” said Zerbel. “In order to help encourage movement, kids have to eat. You can’t have the movement piece if kids aren’t eating a healthy diet or that movement is not going to be a buildup of that health and wellness.”

Now, more than ever, getting all kids the tools, they need to achieve over

all health is critical – especially for those who are under-resourced.

 We don’t all start from the same place. Every opportunity that gets organizations such as Gazelle Sports and Kids’ Food Basket working together to open the door for our neighbors to have access to healthy food and exercise can be transformative.

“The missions of Gazelle Sports and Kids’ Food Basket are really aligned in building happy and healthy communities. It is all part of the puzzle, the movement piece, the nutrition piece, the mental health piece, that all go into developing healthier and happier kids,” said Zerbel. “We are definitely a member of the community and see ourselves as a leader in that movement space, but also knowing that the partnerships that we build are all in an effort to grow the health and wellness of our community members as a whole is important.”

Another alignment with Gazelle Sports and Kids’ Food Basket is the goal of a more equitable West Michigan.

Through their foundation, Gazelle Sports supports programs such as Girls on the Run and No Surrender Running Club – giving opportunities and access for kids to run and be involved in other sporting activities.

All with the purpose of enhancing their physical and overall health.

Together, Gazelle Sports and Kids’ Food Basket is creating healthier future generations.

Healthier kids and a healthier community for all.

Registration for the Gobble Wobble is open now. For more information visit: http://gobblewobblegr.com/