July 19, 2010

Pembroke Pines (FL) Mayor Frank Ortis partnered with 50 local businesses to celebrate kids during the Mayor’s Kids Day celebration June 25. The citywide cooperative event featured kid-friendly retailers offering everything form complimentary movie tickets to free karate lessons at Karate America.

To participate, children ages 15 and younger registered at Pines Recreation Center and other public buildings and received their specials “Kids Day” wristbands. The children could participate in as many activities as they wanted. The event included free children’s breakfast, lunch and dinner at participating IHOP restaurants with the purchase of an adult meal.

The Mayor’s Kids Day originally kicked off as a concept by Green Bay (WI) Mayor Jim Schmit and was later adopted as policy by The United Conference of Mayors at the 2009 Annual Meeting in Providence.

The citywide event culminates in a free lunch with Ortis. He helped pass a citywide resolution after hearing about the day while attending the U.S. Conference of Mayors meeting. “Children work hard all school year and deserved plenty of summer activities,” stated Ortis.