Politics & Government

Kickoff for 'Let's Move Alameda' Saturday at the Sand Castle Competition

A coalition of community groups will launch a summer-long fitness campaign for Alameda young people this Saturday at the annual Sand Castle Contest.

A sprint along the water. Basketball at the school yard. A game of tag at the park. 

A coalition of community organizations has created a summer-long campaign to focus attention on the fitness of Alameda's young people. 

"The Let's Move Alameda campaign emerged as a result of the 100 Best application process in 2010," said Cyndy Wasko, a member of the Alameda Collaborative for Children, Youth and Their Families and president of Alameda's Social Service Human Relations Board. 

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In 2010,  as one of the nation's for young people because of the work the city, schools and community organizations do to support youth. 

"We realized that we could do even more as a community to promote healthy lifestyles," Wasko said.

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So Collaborative members  joined with  to develop this summer's Let's Move Alameda.

"It mirrors Michele Obama's Let’s Move America," said Jim Franz, a city staffer who works with the Collaborative."We're working to keep kids active this summer."

The goal is to encourage young people to do 60 minutes of activity, five days a week, during six weeks of summer. They can fill out an activity journal and earn prizes along the way. Participants can also earn prizes for going soda-free.

Young people can pick up an activity log at many sites around Alameda and at the Let's Move Alameda booth at the kick off event at the this coming Saturday. The journal is also attached to this article. 

The day after Saturday's kickoff, the  will host an afternoon of live entertainment and activities in a Let's Move event. There will be activities for kids, as well as a  for the .

Look for other Let's Move Alameda events throughout the summer. 

"There's going to be a Let's Move Alameda presence at many community events this summer," said Wasko, including at Concerts at the Cove and the . Anyone age 0 through 20 is eligible to participate, says Wasko, though participation for some children will require parental help. 

"For someone with a baby in the stroller, it will be the mom walking for an hour," Wasko said.

The final event, said Franz, will be at the Webster Street Jam on Sept. 10.  "We'll be giving out prizes there and having a drawing for all the kids who participated," Franz said. 

For a schedule of Let's Move Alameda events, check the Alameda Hospital website.  


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