The Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi is on a mission toencourage young girls to live a more health-conscious life, andwill be hosting a 5K Run/Walk on Saturday to encourage the wholefamily to get moving.

“It’s a nationwide healthy initiative that’s going on, and we’vepartnered with PepsiCo and America On The Move,” said Girl ScoutMarketing and Membership Manager Julie Pounds. “They’re trying toencourage girls and their adult role models to have a healthylifestyle. We’re trying to coach our girls into gettingactive.”

The Girl Scout Council of Middle Mississippi is one of 10councils selected by PepsiCo to develop and implement afamily-friendly girl-centered fitness and nutrition program thatencourages girls and their adult role-models to make healthydecisions.

“We’ve put on a lot of fitness-based events and camps, and wehave skating parties, but we’re now really trying to focus more onthe physical and nutritional end and hopefully it will influencevolunteers and parents of the girls,” said Pounds.

The events begin at 7:30 a.m., and will be kicked off by aspeech by Mayor Bob Massengill. The 5K Run/Walk begins after theMayor’s speech. At 8:30 a.m., there is a one-mile Fun Run/Walk, andat 9 a.m. a Tot Trot will be held for participants 5 and under.

“You don’t have to be a runner,” Pounds said. “We also haveindividuals and team walking.”

The teams are made up of five people per team, and Pounds saidmany of the troops are walking in teams.

Registration begins at 6:30 a.m. in front of theBrookhaven-Lincoln County Chamber of Commerce. The event issponsored by PepsiCo Foundation, King’s Daughters Medical Center,Blue Cross Blue Shield of Mississippi, and BrookhavenBroadcasting.