By Southfield (MI) Mayor Brenda Lawrence
July 19, 2010

Every summer since I was elected Mayor in 2001, I have led “A Healthy City Is A Strong City” walking program. This year, inspired by First Lady Michelle Obama’s initiative to combat childhood obesity, I am proud to say that I am expanding my fitness program to include a “Let’s Move! Summer Youth Fitness Camp.” My desire for creating this camp was inspired by the First Lady’s project to address the epidemic of childhood obesity in our country. I hope that you will join me in taking a step towards making our youth healthier. I am thrilled to be working with the U.S. Conference of Mayors as well as the First Lady to address this epidemic.

My goal is to encourage, teach and introduce children to the benefits and fun of physical exercise, and making healthy food choices including providing a fresh fruit and vegetable vendor.

This program will also expose parents to healthy food choices and safe exercise for children. The Let’s Move campaign will combat the epidemic of childhood obesity through a comprehensive approach that builds on effective strategies, and mobilizes public and private sector resources. Let’s Move will engage every sector impacting the health of children to achieve the national goal, and will provide schools, families and communities simple tools to help kids be more active, eat better, and get healthy.

As the First Lady has outlined in her initiative to support Let’s Move and facilitate/coordinate partnerships with states, communities, and the non-profit and for-profit private sectors, the nation’s leading children’s health foundations have come together to create a new independent foundation – the Partnership for a Healthier America – which will accelerate existing efforts addressing childhood obesity and facilitate new commitments towards the national goal of solving childhood obesity within a generation.

As mayors, we are all well aware of the negative impact created by childhood obesity. Over the past three decades, childhood obesity rates in America have tripled, and today, nearly one in three children in America are overweight or obese. One third of all children born in 2000 or later will suffer from diabetes at some point in their lives; many others will face chronic obesity-related health problems like heart disease, high blood pressure, cancer, and asthma. A recent study put the health care costs of obesity-related diseases at $147 billion per year.

The camp is open to youth ages 8-12. To register, the youth must either attend school in Southfield or have parents/guardians that work or live in Southfield. We also encourage parents to stay and participate in the adult activities and nutrition classes. The camp schedule is as follows:

• June 26 (Kick-Off): Basketball Day/Pistons Day

• July 10: Kickboxing Day/Kronks Gym

• July 17: Football Day

• July 24: Yoga/Dance Day

• July 31: Baseball Day/Detroit Tigers Day

• August 7 (Finale) - Radio Disney Pool Party

Please do not hesitate to contact my office at 248-796-5100 or via e-mail at blawrence@cityofsouthfield.com with questions.