FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

June 30, 2009

RELEASE ON RECEIPT

Media contacts:
Shirley Wills, shirleywills@stic.net, 210-822-2378/210-365-4488 (cell)
Nicole Rogers, nicole.rogers@healthcollaborative.net, 210-481-2573 

AREA KIDS INVITED TO A FITNESS SAFARI AT THE
SAN ANTONIO ZOO ON FRIDAY, JULY 17

The Health Collaborative and the San Antonio Zoo Working Together
 to Keep Kids Moving and Prevent Youth Obesity Through Project Measure Up

San Antonio, Texas…Hey parents….are your kids as fast as a leopard, strong as a bear or as flexible as a monkey?  Find out by bringing them to the San Antonio Zoo for fun activities at the Project Measure Up (PMU) Fitness Safari on Friday, July 17th!

The PMU Fitness Safari is a partnership between the San Antonio Zoo and The Health Collaborative’s Project Measure Up program to keep kids involved in fun fitness activities during the summer that relate to their required school fitness testing and to help show kids that healthy movement and activity are fun and wild.  Children visiting the Zoo between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. on July 17th can participate in nine fun animal exercise stations and earn a cool prize before leaving the zoo.

Here’s how it works. Monkeys are flexible right?  So…next to the Capuchin monkey  exhibit, kids will be asked to sit down and stretch to grab their toes letting us know that they are super limber!   Other animal related fitness activities include the hippos, the bears, black leopards, kangaroos, snakes, river otters, and a python. Each time your child tries a fitness activity, they get a token.  At the end of the day, any child with five tokens gets a prize!

“We want to focus on how fitness helps the animals survive in their habitats and link this to how fitness is an important part of each child’s life AND that it can be fun!” said Nicole Rogers, executive director of The Health Collaborative.  “We think the PMU Fitness Safari is a great way for kids to use their minds and their bodies.”

These activities are cool and good summer practices for students because the PMU Fitness Safari activities are based on skills from the FitnessGram testing done at all public schools in Bexar County.  In keeping with state law, school districts in Texas must conduct the FitnessGram testing to determine the fitness levels of all students in grades 3 through 12.  If you have a child in one of these grades, be sure to ask your school for a copy of their FitnessGram results from this past school year.

The Health Collaborative developed and manages Project Measure Up, a surveillance and service program aimed at bringing the needed resources to our schools to implement the FitnessGram.  Members of the PMU volunteer corps will be at the San Antonio Zoo wearing bright yellow t-shirts to show your kids the fun Fitness Safari activities.  And hey, who would be better?  They are trained in the FitnessGram methodology, CPR/First Aid certified, and have successfully passed a background check!  Your kids will have a great time doing these quick activities with them.  They rock!

Regular Zoo admission fees will be in effect, but the PMU Fitness Safari activities and prizes are FREE.  For more information on the PMU Fitness Safari, visit www.healthcollaborative.net or www.sazoo-aq.org. Additional information is available by phoning The Health Collaborative at 210-481-2573.

Background Information

THE HEALTH COLLABORATIVE
Since 1997 The Health Collaborative has worked to improve the health status of the community through collaborative means by assessing the community’s health and identifying priority public health issues in Bexar County.   Priority issues of the Health Collaborative are prevention of youth obesity, health literacy, access to care, and youth mental health. 

Members of The Health Collaborative (THC) are Baptist Health System, the Bexar County Department of Community Investment, Steve Blanchard, Ph.D., CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Health Care, Methodist Health Care System, Community First Health Plans, University Health System, Methodist Healthcare Ministries of South Texas, San Antonio Metropolitan Health District, WellMed, and the YMCA of Greater San Antonio.

Zoo Contact: Debbie Rios-Vanskike, San Antonio Zoo, 210.734.7184, ext. 1043
 
The San Antonio Zoo is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing the highest standard of care for the animal and plant collections while offering a recreational and educational experience for our many visitors. The Zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and is open 365 days a year. Admission for children ages 3 – 11 is $8. Admission for visitors ages 12 and older is $10. Seniors over the age of 62 pay a discounted rate of $8 and children two and younger are free. Family memberships are $65 good for the entire family.

San Antonio Zoo
3903 N. St. Mary’s Street
San Antonio, TX 78212-3199
www.sazoo-aq.org
Phone: 210-734-7184
Fax: 210-734-7291