By Bob Strohm
bstrohm@wbcowqel.com
Helping raise $4,400 for the American Heart Association, Wynford Elementary students were treated to a jumping rope demonstration Wednesday afternoon.
The Ohio State University Jump Rope Team and Flight Crew team members Lee Resig and Tori Boggs traveled to Wynford to give the elementary students a jump rope demonstration as part of the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart event.
Wynford Assistant Principal Andy Schiefer explained what the Jump Rope for Heart program is about.
“It is a partnership with the American Heart Association to where they work together to help fund research, youth promotion, and get kids to learn about heart disease, and help prevent heart disease,” Schiefer said. “The students here have raised funds to help go towards that. There are schools that do it across the country. It is just a great community service that we can give back.”
American Heart Association’s Eric Heinemann explained that the money raised goes towards research and education.
“The money is used in three primary ways, the majority of the donation goes towards grant research, followed by education, and CPR training,” Heinemann explained.
Heinemann explained that next school year the American Heart Association will be doing activities like the Jump Rope for the Heart program in each of Crawford County’s school districts.
Wynford physical education teachers Amber Groves and Mike Haynes helped organize the fund raiser.
“We have had it here for a while. Actually Sally Ruth, our science teacher, used to run it, and we had it handed over to us the last few years,” Haynes explained. “We are trying to build it up, and we hope it continues to grow.”
During the session Resig and Boggs gave demonstrations on different styles of jumping rope that can be performed, and noted that practice and training got them to where they are. After their demonstration the students were given a turn at jumping rope with three different stations. The first station was set up for students jumping a smaller rope, the second station was for students trying their hand at double dutch, and the third station was set for long rope jumping.
Resig and Boggs have been jumping rope for a combined 40 years with six years being spent as part of a pro team and three years as part of The Ohio State University team. 
Jumping rope has taken the pair to 30 different countries as well as television shows America’s Got Talent, America’s Best Dance Crew, and the Ellen DeGeneres Show.
At the conclusion of the event Healthy Hound made an appearance to deliver a banner from the American Heart Association recognizing Wynford’s donation.