Fitness is Fun!
May/Memorial Day 2007

The President’s Great Outdoors Challenge
The President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports invites you to take The Great Outdoors Challenge! As part of your Memorial Day weekend and summer activities participate in the President’s Great Outdoor Challenge. Outdoor recreation and sports can be enjoyed in the mountains, on a river or lake, at a community park, or along a trail. Please visit the following link to learn more: http://www.presidentschallenge.org/greatoutdoorchallenge/index.aspx

President Bush Discusses Physical Fitness Month, Encourages Americans to Exercise
In honor of Physical Fitness Month, President Bush and the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Council members addressed the nation to encourage all Americans of all ages to exercise. President Bush announced that exercise is not only good for the body, but also helps relieve stress. He explained further that it doesn’t take much to stay physically fit and asks Americans to walk, run, bike, swim, 30 minutes five days a week. “I say to America, get outside, take time out of your life, schedule yourself, do discipline and exercise.” The President’s Challenge Active Lifestyle program supports President’s Bush suggestions for a physically active lifestyle. The program requires participants to be active at least 30 minutes a day for 5 day a week. To read more about this event please visit: http://www.whitehouse.gov/news/releases/2007/05/20070505-1.html#

Join PCPFS and Celebrate May’s National Physical Fitness and Sports Month
With the warmer temperatures, May provides an opportune time to encourage individuals to get out and get moving. The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) invites organizations to help spread the message about the importance of physical activity and sports throughout the year, but particularly in the month of May in recognition of National Physical Fitness and Sports month. To learn more about PCPFS efforts this month, and throughout the year, visit http://www.fitness.gov/.

The PCPFS was excited to partner with the U.S. Olympic Committee during Olympic Week (April 30-May 4). PCPFS held a Council meeting on May 3rd and presented the first ever Lifetime Achievement Awards and Community Leadership Awards. Please visit http://www.fitness.gov/ to learn more about the recipients of these awards.

Announcing the National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit: Creating a Culture of Wellness
We are pleased to announce that the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will host the 2007 National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit: Creating a Culture of Wellness. This groundbreaking event will unite health professionals, business entrepreneurs, and government leaders at all levels that are dedicated to health promotion, chronic disease prevention, health preparedness, birth defects, disabilities, genomics, and wellness.

The summit, which will take place November 27-29, 2007 at the Hyatt Regency Capitol Hill in Washington D.C., will feature prominent national speakers, the Secretary's Innovation in Prevention Awards, and an opportunity to showcase new approaches to prevention and health promotion - including innovations that promote regular physical activity, eating a healthful diet, taking advantage of medical screenings, and making healthy choices to avoid risky behaviors.

For 2007, the National Prevention and Health Promotion Summit will occur in place of previous conferences, including the Secretary's National Prevention Summit and CDC's National Health Promotion Conference, the National Conference on Chronic Disease Prevention and Control, and the National Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities Conference. We invite those partners who have a long history of supporting those meetings to join us, as we foster a culture of wellness that can help us reduce the disease burden and economic impact of some of the nation's leading causes of death and disability.

We encourage you to visit http://www.healthierus.gov/ for important updates as we shape this national meeting, and we look forward to your participation in this important meeting.

General Mills Grants for PALA Awards
A unique partnership between the President's Challenge and General Mills Community Action is allowing eligible schools to receive free Presidential Active Lifestyle Award (PALA) emblems and certificates for eligible students at their school. Through the General Mills Champions for Healthy Kids program, General Mills Community Action will provide Presidential recognition to eligible low socioeconomic status schools (up to 25,000 students) and the President's Challenge will list the school on our Web site, http://www.presidentschallenge.org/ as a "General Mills Challenge School." In order to be eligible for the awards, students must meet the PALA requirements of being physically active 60 minutes per day, five days a week for six weeks. Also, if 35% of the student population earns the PALA award two or more times during the school year, the school will automatically earn the distinction of becoming a President's Challenge Active Lifestyle Model School. If you are a low socioeconomic status school, fill out the application at http://www.presidentschallenge.org/advocates/gen_mills_sponsorform.pdf and send it in to the President's Challenge office.

The President's Challenge Teams Up with We Can! to Prevent Childhood Obesity
The National Institutes of Health (NIH)is working with The President's Challenge to bring its We Can! program to parents, teachers and community organizations nationwide. We Can! stands for Ways to Enhance Children’s Activity & Nutrition and focuses on three important behaviors: improved food choices, increased physical activity, and reduced screen time. We Can! is a turn-key childhood obesity prevention program with evidence-based materials that are flexible and easy-to-use. Currently, 150 communities around the country are participating in We Can! programs for parents and youth. These community groups range from hospitals, health departments, and clinics to faith-based organizations, YMCAs, schools, and worksites.

We Can! offers community groups a wide array of materials and resources to help them implement the program. They include a program for parents and caregivers, science-based curricula to use with youth, and a community toolkit to promote the formation and growth of local “action” coalitions. We Can! is promoting the President’s Challenge materials in the We Can! Energize our Families: Curricula for Parents and Caregivers as well as on the We Can! Web site.

We Can! is also reaching out directly to parents with products such as the Families Finding the Balance: Parent Handbook. Visit http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov or call 1-800-36-WECAN to order your free copy today.

Join the We Can! movement! And, begin to engage your children and entire family in healthy lifestyle behaviors. For example, celebrate National TV-Turnoff Week may 23-29, 2007. Visit the We Can! web site for helpful tips on how to reduce television screen time at http://wecan.nhlbi.nih.gov.

End of School Year Pedometer Discounts
In order to make room for new pedometer models in the 2007-08 school year, we are reducing the prices of our current pedometers, the TrekLinq and the StepLinq. These prices will be effective until supplies run out so please hurry!

TrekLinq
A more advanced pedometer that counts the number of steps taken. Additionally, this pedometer calculates distance, calories burned, time of movement, and displays time of day. Battery and instructions are included. This pedometer includes a cover with the three-color imprinted President’s Challenge logo on the outside. Card stock and shell packaging included.

Regular Price = $15.00
Sale Price = $9.95

StepLinq
A basic pedometer that counts the number of steps completed. This pedometer includes a recessed reset button and a belt clip. Battery and instructions are included. This pedometer is imprinted in a single color with the words “Active Lifestyle” and “Step Counter”. Card stock and bubble packaging are included.

Regular Price = $12.00
Sale Price = $7.95

To order items online please visit, our order center.