Fit Fun & Fabulous event will return to city in October

Last year’s Fit Fun & Fabulous in Franklin event is due for a repeat performance.
Franklin Foundation Hospital Director of Marketing / Business Development Dawn Kaiser-Melancon told the council that the next event is set for Oct. 6.
Events are scheduled throughout the day including healthcare screenings from 8-10 a.m. at The Lamp Post, which will also be the location of women and men health programs from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be a downtown walking tour during that time.
From 5 p.m. until sunset at the Franklin Senior High School stadium, there will be a Walk for Christ where community and church members walk a mile. Also included there will be tug-of-war challenges and an appearance by Abbeville’s Koryn Hawthorne, a finalist on the eighth season of “The Voice.”
A candlelight vigil for Chez Hope is set for dusk.
The program is centered around “Pink Glove Dance.” Kaiser-Melancon said a hospital in Washington created the idea for breast cancer awareness. She said it has become a competition by Medline Industries, where people make a video, create a song and dance. Pink is the traditional symbolic color for breast cancer awareness.
Kaiser-Melancon said filming will be done around the area, clips edited into a video, and put to the song “Better When I’m Dancing” by Meghan Trainor.
Pink gloves were handed out to the mayor, council and staff. “It’s unity, all of us coming together for the health and wellness of the community,” Kaiser-Melancon said.
Ed “Tiger” Verdin, noting last year’s tug-of-war between the city police and fire departments, asked the city council to challenge the St. Mary Parish Council for a tug-of-war match.
“Like Ali told Fraizer, if we can’t get along, let’s get it on,” Mayor Raymond Harris Jr. joked.
Verdin said there’s talk of a similar challenge between Teche Action Clinic and Franklin Foundation Hospital.
“I was very pleased with the community support last year,” Harris noted. “You guys have done a great job and I’m looking forward to this one.”
Verdin said the event is “a huge collaborative effort.”
For more information, contact Kaiser-Melancon at 337-355-1373 or Verdin at 337-828-2550.