090717 SWB DIGITAL EDITION

Windermere resident Randy
“RJ” Ruiz has been playing
baseball since he was 6
months old, when he first could
hold a bat. The Thornebrooke
Elementary School student plays
for Windermere Little League,
where he was selected for its All-Star
team for the past four years.
Randy “RJ” Ruiz of Windermere
joins the USSSA All American Showcase10u
Atlantic Region baseball team.
Ruiz also plays competitive travel
baseball with the WBA Warriors.
His latest accomplishment was being
selected to the USSSA All American
Showcase 10-U Atlantic Region
team, which covers Florida, Georgia
and South Carolina. He was one of
24 children chosen from thousands
and played at Disney’s ESPN Wide
World of Sports Complex. His father,
Randy Ruiz, is a former MLB
player. Ruiz is on his way to following
in his father’s footsteps.
Beads for Beats Inc. representatives
announced the Beads4Beats
EnduRUNce 5K walk/run will
take place Sept. 23 at 8 a.m. at Dr.
P. Phillips Community Park. The
not-for-profit organization, founded
in 2011, helps terminally and chronically
ill children and their families.
“Beads” (bracelets) represent a
circle of love that is given to sick
children to help them remember
that they are thought of and loved.
“Beats” stands for keeping the heartbeats
going for as long as possible.
B4B anticipates more than 200 individuals
and families participating
in the run/walk. Its goal is to raise
$10,000 to support its mission. Onehundred
percent of the proceeds,
after expenses, will be used for
outreach services.
For more information, call 407-394-
6567 or visit www.beads4beats.org.
On Nov. 11, Give Kids The World
Village will present its Challenge for
Hope Walk, Run, Roll or Stroll.
Formerly known as the Gingerbread
Run, GKTW’s signature event returns
for its ninth year with a new name.
Challenge for Hope will celebrate
the happiness that has inspired hope
for thousands of children and families
at GKTW. The day will include the
Kid’s Zone, a Zumba dance warmup,
and the 5K. Adult registration
starts at $40 with juniors at $20 with
a paid adult. Virtual Challengers can
join the fun for $35.
For more information or to register,
visit support.gktw.org/site/
pagenavigator/cfh_hmpg.html.
A recent independent study provided
compelling evidence that
Girls on the Run is highly effective
at driving transformative and
lasting change in the lives of third- to
fifth-grade girls. The program’s intentional
curriculum places an emphasis
on developing competence,
confidence, connection, character,
caring and contribution in young
girls through lessons that incorporate
running and other physical activities.
Throughout the course of the 10-
week after-school program, girls
learn critical life skills, including
managing emotions, resolving conflict,
helping others and making
intentional decisions.
The independent study was conducted
by Maureen R. Weiss,
Ph.D., a leading expert on youth
development.
“Girls on the Run participants
scored higher in managing emotions,
resolving conflict, helping others
and making intentional decisions
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than participants in organized sports
or physical education,” Weiss said.
“Being able to generalize skills
learned in the program to other situations,
such as at school or at home,
is a distinguishing feature of Girls
on the Run compared to traditional
youth sports and school physical
education, and suggests that the
intentional life skills curriculum and
coach-training program can serve as
exemplars for other youth programs.”
For more information, visit www.
gotrorlando.org.
Southwest Orlando is home to not
one, but two national trampoline
and tumbling medalists. Madison
Marshall and Nina Vicker train
at Stick-It Gymnastics under coaches
Tyler Aycock and Stephen
Raymond.
Marshall, who lives in Provence
and attends Bridgewater Middle
School, brought home the gold
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