        Manor School once again raised funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation through their annual Jump Rope for Heart afternoon at the school.
               This year Jump Rope for Heart was held on Friday, Feb. 27, with Kindergartens to grade sixes participating in the afternoon of fun.
               Not only were they raising money for a good cause, but they were also earning points for their intramural teams through participating in the afternoon.
               Manor School set out a goal of fundraising $1,500 for the Heart and Stroke Foundation, which was met and surpassed with the students able to raise $2,017. The two top fundraisers this year were Aisa W. and Lacey M.
               The afternoon consisted of skipping rope individually, double Dutch, and numerous other skipping games. Additionally each grade had a skip off, followed by a school wide skip off. Also organized were various games for their intramural teams to earn points through or for individuals to earn points for their teams.
               In the end the Crushers earned 230 points, Chargers and Blazers tied with 220 points, and the Warriors earned 205 points. These intramural teams bring the students together in team building and school spirit, which is important to Manor School.
               Also important to Manor School is teaching youth about being proactive. Helping to raise funds for the Heart and Stroke Foundation was something to do for some students, but for others it was something that they had already dealt with in their families.
               The Heart and Stroke Foundation invests in medical research at universities, hospitals, and in communities across the country, while it also promotes programs to raise educational awareness about health specifically related to heart disease, heart attacks, and strokes.
               Since the Heart and Stroke Foundation was founded, in 1952, they have invested over $1.39 billion in heart and stroke research. During this time death from heart disease and stroke has declined over 75 percent according to the Heart and Stroke Foundations website.
               Research they have conducted has led to breakthroughs including the discovery of a hormone which controls blood pressure, the first heart transplant in Canada, and the ability to now identify 90 percent of all risk factors surrounding heart attacks and strokes.
               Healthy living is an important aspect of teaching kids, which is what the Jump Rope for Heart aims to do.
               In Canada it is reported that every seven minutes someone dies from either a heart attack or a stroke according to the Heart and Stroke Foundation’s website.
               Additionally heart disease and strokes are actually two of the three leading causes of death in Canada, making it extremely important to promote a healthy and active lifestyle.
               The risk factors in Canadians are also very high with nine out of 10 Canadians having at least one of these risk factors: smoking, alcohol, physical inactivity, obesity, high blood pressure, high blood cholesterol, and diabetes.
