By Wandoo Makurdi Children start the one-mile run around the track to kick off the start of the Marine Corps Community Services and Semper Fit’s first-ever Health and Fitness Fair Saturday.

And with that a little more than 100 kids took off running for the one-mile fun walk⁄run that signaled the start of the fair. As each child rounded the bend toward the home stretch, excitement in their faces, they were greeted by cheering volunteers waiting with medals to award the kids. In this case, there was more than one winner. Every child that finished the race received a medal of commendation.

The Marine Corps Community Services and Semper Fit center hosted more than 500 children to its first Health and Fitness Fair at Butler Stadium on the Marine Corps Base Quantico last Saturday. The fair was the brain child of Charlotte Bretz, the marketing director of MCCS, and Michelle Vukovich, head of Barber Physical Activity Center, who came up with the idea to coincide with the celebration of April as the month of the military child. Both women said the concept was developed after hosting several smaller events and block parties steered at promoting health and fitness awareness to children.

‘‘We just wanted to entertain the kids by providing them with all sorts of fun things to do focusing on health and fitness events,” Bretz said.

The fair began at 8 a.m., and for three hours children voluntarily participated in various physical activities with elements of fun designed to keep them interested. From tug-of-war battles to potato sack races; moon bounces to hula hooping, where a 7-year-old beat out everyone—adults included—by circling the hoop nonstop around her small waist for nearly five minutes.

But it wasn’t all about playing as instructors found creative ways to teach kids important lessons. The Military Police Security Battalion asked questions and passed out flyers to children in exchange for taking a picture with or hugging McGruff, its dog mascot. The Fire Department also used its own mascot, Sparkie, to attract children, reminding them on what to do during fire emergencies. A group of kids and adults participated in a yoga demonstration by an instructor, and children were also treated to a visual demonstration of the human digestive process and the importance of eating healthy foods by the Science Museum.

While multiple activities were taking place simultaneously, representatives from several information stands were on hand to give safety and healthy pointers to families. A certified nurse from the Semper Fit health center administered blood pressure tests to attendees. The Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Branch on base, continuing in its celebration of ‘Earth’ Day, was also on hand to explain the importance of recycling to the environment.

‘‘Children have the capacity to absorb when they actually see it. They retain that [information],” Bruce Frizzell, head of the NREA base branch, said of why his team hopped on a late opportunity to host a table.

Vukovich said the goal of both organizations goal was to plant seeds for practicing healthier habits early.

‘‘Children develop habits early,” Vukovich said. ‘‘If they can start early, then hopefully it sticks with them. And hopefully, they discover more healthy habits as they continue to grow.”

As the rate of obesity among children has risen significantly recently, more experts are calling for parents to cut down on their children’s TV viewing and enroll them in some type of physical activity, a message that was reinforced repeatedly to the children.

When asked what she enjoyed most about the fair, Sheridan Wilkerson, the 7-year-old who won the hula hooping contest, didn’t mention the event she excelled in. Instead she said she enjoyed the mile-long race. Why?

‘‘Because it’s really good to run,” Sheridan said, taking a bite out of the apple she picked at the refreshment stand. Though there were still plenty of bagels and cookies left for the picking, Sheridan chose the healthier option to snack on.

On what she learned from the various games she played and presentations she took in, Sheridan, with mom Susanna Wilkerson standing quietly a few feet from her said, ‘‘I learned you should always get into fitness and run a few times a day.”

And after a brief pause, Sheridan added for good measure, ‘‘This stuff is better than watching TV.”