Mayors’ Executive assistants met with representatives of the Mayors OlympiKids for Fitness program during the 67th Annual meeting of the U. S. Conference of Mayors to learn how they could start a program in their communities. Veronica Crandall, Director of Salt Lake City’s OlympiKids for Fitness program told the group that getting started requires commitment and planning. The Mayors’ OlympiKids for Fitness is an initiative launched by the U.S. Conference of Mayors in partnership with the U.S. Olympic Committee. The program is designed to teach 4th through 6th graders to set fitness goals and to exercise safely. Running and walking are emphasized but other forms of physical activity are encouraged. Each participant receives an OlympiKids for Fitness student workbook, in which they and their parents can track their fitness progress.

Starting a program also means planning must begin before school starts. Ms. Crandall suggested that appointing a person in the mayors office to act as lead coordinator and contacting your city’s school superintendents to gain their buy-in, and work with them to contact all the elementary school principals in your city. Sheila Walker of the U.S. Olympic Committee was also on hand to discuss the "dos" and "don’ts" of marketing the Olympic rings and name with the group while Lucinda Adams, gold medalist in the Rome 1960 Olympics games spoke to the group about her involvement with the Senior Olympics Games and the OlympiKids for Fitness initiative.

Ms. Crandall told the group that Mayor Corradini’s participation in the Salt Lake City program was critical to the program’s success. Mayor Corradini participated in 23 OlympiKids assembles throughout the year as well as the OlympiKids Fun Run which is the end-of- the-school year, citywide, culminating event.

During the annual conference, Mayor Corradini hosted an OlympiKids Fun Run for Mayors and local New Orleans youth. Nearly two hundred people participated in the 2 mile run through the beautiful streets of New Orleans. Mayors Morial of New Orleans, Archer of Detroit, and Mullins of Palatine joined Mayor Corradini for the fitness run. In attendance to hand out awards to race finishers was Olympic track and field gold medalist in the 1988 and 1992 Olympics, Ms. Sheila Williams.