Special Report to Blowing Rock News. BOONE—In an effort to increase the physical activity of people in western North Carolina, the Be Active-Appalachian Partnership at Appalachian State University offers a Lending Library that provides equipment to get more people, especially children, physically active.

The Lending Library is an initiative in which physical activity equipment such as pedometers, scooters, archery sets, skateboards, tennis sets, spooner balance boards, geocaching sets, disc golf, yoga cards and badminton are loaned to individuals or groups.  The library has been introduced to 465 teachers in western North Carolina who will impact more than 78,400 children in 18 counties.  Fifty-one teachers have used the library’s resources, impacting approximately 6,400 children.

The partnership was created in 2005 with support from Be Active North Carolina and Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina to promote physical activity and fitness for citizens of all ages in North Carolina’s High Country.  It is housed in the Blue Cross Blue Shield of North Carolina Institute for Health and Human Services in the College of Health Sciences at Appalachian.  According to Be Active North Carolina, North Carolina has the 10^th highest rate of adult obesity in the country and the 11^th highest rate for children.  A 2005 study revealed that obesity costs the state $57 billion each year in health care costs and lost productivity, and a 2011 follow-up study indicates that number has dropped to $54 billion a year.

Susan Tumbleston, executive director of Be Active- Appalachian Partnership, came up with the idea for the Lending Library after traveling the region and talking with many teachers who said similar things about the lack of physical activity equipment.  She also learned that physical education teachers were reluctant to lend out equipment for fear of it not being returned.

“Susan began to think that if we could buy equipment and have all of the schools share, then perhaps we could own it and lend it out across the western North Carolina region,” said Victoria Breda, program support associate for the partnership.  “The opportunity to make the initial purchase of equipment arose when we had a little money left over from a grant.”

Tumbleston and Breda have presented teacher workshops and trainings to get the word out about the resources the lending library has to offer.

“We take equipment to the workshops and let the teachers play with it and come up with ideas for how to use it in the classroom,” said Breda.

“Sixteen teachers that have never included physical activity in the classroom have done so as a result of the lending library,” said Tumbleston.

Those wishing to check out equipment must first become a “Friend of the Library” by simply filling out an information card and submitting it to Breda.  Once that has happened, participants can borrow equipment for one month.  Breda delivers the equipment to the participants and picks it up at the end of the loan period.

Groups including churches, camps and other organizations like the Girl Scouts can also utilize the equipment and can do so by becoming a “Friend of the Library.”  “It doesn’t have to be just schools that use the equipment; anyone with a need for physical activity equipment can borrow it,” said Tumbleston.

Because the equipment available is geared mostly towards elementary and middle school children, Tumbleston and Breda are also working on pre-school and staff wellness components to encourage more childcare centers to provide more physical activities for their participants, as well as offer opportunities for any worksite to provide activities for their employees.

To learn more about the Lending Library or become a “Friend of the Library,” contact Breda at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 828-262-7155.  For more information about the Be Active- Appalachian Partnership, contact This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or visit http://community.appstate.edu/program/be-active-north-carolinaappalachian-partnership.

The 17 counties served by the Lending Library are:

Graham
Buncombe
Haywood
Jackson
Henderson
Mitchell
McDowell
Burke
Rutherford
Yancey
Transylvania
Cherokee
Avery
Madison
Polk
Ashe
Watauga

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