Schwarzenegger Announces Fitness Council To Improve State Residents’ Physical Health
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) on Friday officially launched the California Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports at Disney's California Adventure theme park, the Sacramento Bee reports.
The council, which aims to fulfill Schwarzenegger's campaign promise to encourage exercise, will promote fitness through a Web site, and officials will distribute promotional material to stores around the state, according to Judith Kieffer, founding director of the council.
Unlike other fitness councils, the governor's council is a not-for-profit, privately financed organization. Schwarzenegger will serve as the honorary chair of the council.
Kieffer said the council has raised $550,000 this year, mostly from corporate sponsors, including the Blue Cross of California Foundation and Pfizer.
Celebrity athletes are expected to promote the initiative around the state (Mecoy, Sacramento Bee, 6/11). Athletes Reggie Jackson, Julie Fowdy, Robert Balk, Michelle Kwan, Lindsay Davenport, Tony Hawk, Peter Vidmar and Jerry Rice attended the ceremony (Office of Governor release, 6/10).
Schwarzenegger said, "They are going to help us pump you all up and get California in shape. The purpose of this is to promote health and fitness and to promote sports all over the state of California and to make everyone -- all 36 million -- participate in fitness and sports activities." He added, "Let's make this not only the Golden State; let's make it the fitness state."
Kieffer said, "In this era of obesity, we have some real issues and health concerns for our state. We want to be able to come up with physical activities they can do as part of their normal life" (Mecoy, Sacramento Bee, 6/11).