The amount of statistics verifying the need for Californians to eat healthier and become more active is staggering. There is no doubt that much work is needed to help individuals and families fight obesity and lead healthier lives. What is in question is how does park and recreation agencies fit into the equation.

In August of 2004 CPRS began gathering information on park and recreation agencies that were promoting health and wellness in their communities.

We found many similar programs and policies that were recently created. Many agencies reviewed the food options that were offered in snack bars, vending machines and provided to during programs. A majority of agencies began to offer more nutritious alternatives. Some agencies eliminated all unhealthy offerings. Park and recreation personnel were also encouraged to bring healthier foods to work to provide better role modeling.

Another common model among agencies was a new policy to require mandatory physical activity time at all programs. San Leandro requires a minimum of 45 minutes of active physical activity for each 1/2 day program and a minimum of 75 minutes for full day programs. San Carlos incorporated “Dance Breaks” at the Youth Center where participants and staff stop what their are doing and dances. Many other agencies require a minimum of 30 minutes each day.

Agencies have also changed their activity and program guides to include covers showing actively engaged participants, letters from directors about the importance of healthy activity and how parks and recreation is a major component, symbols (often hearts) to indicated classes that offer a fitness component, and health and wellness messages were incorporated throughout the guides.

Lastly many agencies partnered with local hospitals to provide educational classes on nutrution and healthy alternatives for staff, program participants, and parents. Many other partnerships were formed with school districts, chamber of commerces, health and wellness groups, coalitions and collaboratives.

What follows is a very small sampling of what some park and recreation agencies have accomplished.

San Leandro Recreation and Human Services:
Contact: Carolyn Knudtson, CKnudtson@ci.san-leandro.ca.us
Click here for more details on how San Leandro approached the health and wellness dilema.

• Each playground site serves water & plenty will be made available. Each child has a water bottle with their name on it that they can keep at the site and use all day and extras will be available in case they are lost.
• Produced a four-hour training of the trainers on an 8 week nutrition, exercise and body image curriculum that will be given by the leaders at the sites. Also provided a two hour ACTIVE games training.

City of Tulare
Contact Barry Dugan, bdugan@ci.tulare.ca.us

• Completed 5-mile Tulare Santa Fe Trail which incorporates an equestrian trail.
• Adopted City of Tulare Pedestrian and Bicycle Trail Master Plan which increases multi-use trail systems from 13 to 110 miles.

City of San Carlos
Contact: Jeri Fujimoto, 650-802-4471, jfujimoto@cityofsancarlos.org
San Carlos’ message: Health and wellness and combating obesity is a community issue. We can provide resources, including speakers, a vending machine list of healthy snacks and beverages as well as fitness, nutrition and wellness fact sheets. We have trails, bike paths, fields, gyms, playgrounds, community buildings, programs, and services that encourage everyone to be active. Contact us to be your Health and Wellness partner.

• Hosted a booth in the 2004 “Look Good, Feel Good” Wellness Business Showcase sponsored by the San Carlos Chamber of Commerce;
• Purchased and distributed give-away items, including:
  o Wellness Bookmarks;
  o “51 Ways to exercise” display cards;
  o “101 Family Fitness Activities” Bookmarks;
  o Hacky sacks;
  o Guide to Healthier fast foods;
  o Healthy Snacking for Busy People;
  o Calorie & Fat Counter;
  o Eating Right for Busy People;
  o Fast Food Nutrition Guide;
  o Nutrition Tips for Teens;
  o 80 Healthy Snacks;
  o Parents Guide to Childhood Obesity
  o Summer camp giveaways (Frisbees, pedometer, beach balls, etc.)
• Created and distributed a series of twenty media releases, one distributed each week (ie “take action for a healthier San Carlos,” “Battling boredom in your workout,” “Gym class has a whole new look,” “Address obesity at an early age”), highlighting local and national health statistics, wellness opportunities in San Carlos (including programs, services and facilities) and exercise benefits. Each media release positioned San Carlos Parks and Recreation as the health and wellness leader in the community.
• “Health & Wellness through Basketball” is a new drop-in style fitness program for high school youth and is designed to help teens develop lifelong fitness habits. The program includes strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and basketball.
• Fresh fruit is solicited, via donation, throughout the community. When the fruit is available it is provided to the Youth Center participants at no cost
• A fun and educational healthy snack cookbook has been created by program participants, titled “This is How We’re Cookin’ in the YC!” Chapters include, What do these numbers mean?, Keepin’ it Safe in the Kitchen, Cookin’ Terms, Blender Blasts, Fabulous Fruits, Snack Attack, Micro Magic and more! Cookbooks are $12.00 each and are available at the Youth Center or on the City’s website, www.cityofsancarlos.org

City of Downey
Contact: Angie Avery, aavery@downeyca.org

• The ASPIRE after school program developed a Health and Fitness curriculum in September 2004. The curriculum introduces a new fitness component each month through fun and unique games and challenges, such as a “Walk Across America”, where students track their collective walking distances and learn about different cities across the United States. The curriculum also teaches the children about healthy eating and introduces them to how to read food labels and make healthy food choices. The program provides evening events for the entire family where health and wellness activities such as family exercise, healthy cooking and more are introduced.

City of Fresno
Contact: Mary Jane Fitzpatrick, 559/621-2913, MaryJane.Fitzpatrick@Fresno.gov

• The City of Fresno After School Recreation Program partners with The Fresno County Office of Education Pentathlon Adventure, an event that helps children learn about physical fitness and proper nutrition.

City of Tracy
Contact: Mark Honberger, 209/831-4207, Mark.Honberger@ci.tracy.ca.us

• Developed a calendar in which each day lists something to do, or a place to go, for citizens to develop “Healthy Habits” (coincided with July is Parks and Recreation Month).
• Created “My Own Marathon” which encourages folks to get out and walk/run a marathon, one ¼ mile at a time. Participants will have 4 months to complete it and are encouraged to do it together with family and friends.
• Local doctors will be writing “prescriptions” for folks to participate in “My Own Marathon.”

City of Sacramento
Contact: Janet Jewell, 916/808-6533

• The “Get Fit in ‘05” campaign was launched in our 2005 Summer Publications and continues into the Fall 2005 and Spring 2006. “Get Fit in ‘05” states “our society is experiencing an obesity crisis at all age levels. The Department of Parks and Recreation offers a wide variety of opportunities to help you manage your weight and keep fit. Look for this symbol (heart) as your guide to individual and family wellness.”
• Program staff are trained on how to write program descriptions capturing basic health and wellness statistics and the benefits of how participation in a particular program or activity can help fight obesity.
• Partner with FEED to provide a farmer’s market in Del Paso Heights using local growers. Market began in July 2005.

LA’s Best
Contact: Craig Blumenthal, 213/745-1900 ext. 52985, craigb@lasbest.lausd.net

• The BEST Fit initiative embodies the commitment of LA’s BEST to the physical health of children in Los Angeles elementary schools. This initiative is a comprehensive after school strategy to promote children’s health and fitness. The core of BEST Fit is the Healthy Children Healthy Futures (HCHF) program for children and parents. Each focuses on promoting children’s health through the development of the “8 Habits of Healthy Kids.” The Habits address snack food choices, drinking water, fast food, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, television viewing, and portion size.
• BEST Fit initiative brings together many partners including: the Healthy Children, Healthy Futures program; the Preventive Medicine Institute Strang Cancer Prevention Center; Cancer Prevention Nutrition Section (CPNS) – Nutrition Network; 5-A-Day Power Play; Western Grower’s Association; National Academy of Sports and Physical Education; American Alliance of Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance; KidTribe programs; Dairy Council of California; KABC 7 Healthy Steps program; LA Collaborative for Healthy Active Children; and Project LEAN. Strang Cancer Prevention Center and Cancer Prevention Nutrition Section (CPNS) – Nutrition Network

City of Coronado
Contact: Stacy Berman, 619/522-7316, sberman@coronado.ca.us

• Host after school activities at the local elementary and middle schools that promote physical activities. We also have a partnership with the local middle school so that daily we lead active games, sports and contest during the student’s lunch time recess.

City of Escondido
Contact: Robin Bettin, Rbettin@ci.escondido.ca.us

• Incorporating articles on healthy living and recreation in city Newsletters and other media pieces

City of Lakewood
Contact: Valarie Frost, vfrost@lakewoodcity.org

• The after-school and school vacation programs have an emphasis on physical activity through outdoor games and sports leagues. Cooking programs are offered and teach children how to make healthy snacks on their own at home. In addition to these programs, a family fitness series is offered three times a year. The program objective is to teach parents and their children how they can work together to develop and maintain a healthy lifestyle.

City of San Ramon
Contact: Esther Lucas, 925/973-3298, elucas@sanramon.ca.gov

• The City of San Ramon Parks & Community Services Department launched a two-part campaign this spring to raise the awareness of obesity and health issues, and to promote living a healthy lifestyle. The campaign was called “Get Active! in San Ramon”. In the spring quarter we offered a photo scavenger hunt that challenged residents and families to discover the many different (and some new) parks that are available to them. Participating families visited 5 different parks and submitted photos of themselves being active. We awarded prizes and honored all the participants at our Parks & Community Services Commission meeting
• In July, to celebrate National Parks & Recreation Month, we launched Step It Up. With sponsorship money from San Ramon Regional Medical Center and Club Sport we purchased and distributed 350 pedometers to people who live and work in San Ramon. People in exchange for this free gift were asked to track their steps for the entire month of July. We also distributed information on walking 10,000 steps for good health and additional health tips to inform and motivate them. The response was very exciting as whole families were walking and tracking their steps together. Prizes were given at our September 13th City Council meeting for individuals who walked the most for the month in their age category, the most improved and the family that walked the most for the month. In total participants walked 16,739,849 steps or approximately 8,369 miles.