• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

My Gym Children's Fitness Centers Dispatch a May Day Call Challenging Kids Everywhere to Get Fit & Healthy

Posted on: Thursday, 20 April 2006, 12:00 CDT

Jumping, running, tumbling and smiling are all part of a healthy kid's day, right? Sadly, too many American children are spending their day on the couch or sitting in a classroom and not moving as much as their parents did a generation ago. Did you know that the U.S. Surgeon General recommends that kids get 60 minutes of exercise daily?

Corporations and the government took notice and dedicated the whole month of May to bring awareness to youngsters (and their parents) about the importance of exercise. My Gym locations join the call to get kids moving with a friendly Kids "4"Fitness Challenge on May 1. Leading the kids at a Los Angeles gym will be former Olympic Gold Medalist skater Scott Hamilton, whose own son Aidan has been a member of My Gym for more than a year.

While the kids at My Gym are working out, they'll be raising money to improve the physical well-being of other kids who need help. My Gym hopes to raise at least $50,000 with the fundraiser.

"We think this is an incredible event for kids across the country teaching them to be active, to exercise and watch them make a commitment to health and fitness," said Tracie Hamilton, Scott's wife and frequent attendee of Aidan's My Gym class. "This is a win-win event -- kids doing something good for their physical and mental well-being while helping other children in need.

On May 1, My Gym members and their young guests will participate in planned day of fitness routines designed especially for children of all ages. Kids can be free to run, skip, hop and even fall down - because fitness is fun and sometimes funny!

My Gyms nationwide will participate in the Challenge with "4" Time Zones during two sessions: Approximate times are:

For exact times in your area, please contact your local My Gym.

Boys and girls will receive a sponsor sheet to sign up their own family and friends for a donation as they pledge to get fit. There is a requested $5.00 participation/donation fee, plus whatever pledges they get. All proceeds will go to My Gym Challenged America, a charitable foundation established to improve the physical and emotional well-being of children in need. The Hamiltons are also honorary members of the board for My Gym Challenged America.

For kids who can't make it to a gym but want to get in the swing of things, My Gym will post its friendly and fun "Monkey See, Monkey Do" exercise video featuring mascot Mymo so kids everywhere can exercise at the same time during the event. They can pledge online, too, to help with the fundraising. Visit www.my-gym.com and click on the Kids "4" Fitness Challenge.

My Gym's corporate partners are lining up to be part of the charitable effort: My Kid's Media, Inc. parent company of My Kids Tunes, the leading children's download music site on the Internet, has agreed to donate a portion of proceeds from all sales generated on May 1, 2006, through its online family music store, www.mykidstunes.com .

"We are excited and honored to be a part of this kid-friendly charitable event," said Matt Hendison, executive vice president of marketing and entertainment. "We love that My Gym encourages children to get active and fit, and uses tunes to help make it fun."

About My Gym Children's Fitness Centers

Based in Los Angeles, California, My Gym Enterprises is the company responsible for franchising My Gym Children's Fitness Center worldwide. Since 1983, My Gym Children's Fitness Center has combined innovative, physical early learning/pre-gymnastics classes with state-of-the-art facilities to empower children - ages 3 months to 13 years - by helping them acquire the skills, confidence and positive self-image needed to become healthy young adults.

My Gym's award-winning, structured, noncompetitive and age-appropriate classes enhance children's strength, balance, coordination, agility, flexibility and social skills through games, music, exercise, sports, special rides, gymnastics and fun! My Gym was recently ranked #183 overall on Entrepreneur magazine's Franchise 500 List and #1 in its category in both 2005 and 2006. In addition, My Gym is a proud partner of Jamarama Live (www.jamaramalive.com), the first ever nationwide kids music tour. There are currently 150 My Gym Children's Fitness Centers in operation, with 30 new gyms scheduled to open in the next 12 months. For more information, go to www.my-gym.com.

About My Gym Challenged America

The My Gym Challenged America Foundation has challenged itself to accomplish something big and important: To positively impact the lives of children throughout the country who are physically challenged, underprivileged, abused, neglected or at risk. Funds raised allow MGCA to present vital equipment and therapeutic services to disabled children as well as offer My Gym scholarships to eligible youngsters for whom such a valuable experience would be inaccessible. Gifts from the Foundation greatly improve the lives of these special children and go far in helping them reach their maximum potential. For more information, visit the My Gym website at www.mgcahelpskids.org

About My Kid's Media and MyKidsTunes.com

My Kid's Media, Inc., the parent company of MyKidsTunes.com, is dedicated to helping children through two primary means. The company provides easy and affordable access to educations music and audio books - essential sources of joy, growth and enrichment in the life of every child. In addition, MyKidsTunes.com partners with numerous philanthropic organizations devoted to the needs of children. A percentage of each transaction is donated to one of the company's core children's charities. For more information, please visit www.MyKidsTunes.com

About National Fitness Month

Since 1983, May has been observed as National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. Individuals and organizations everywhere have joined in the fun to promote awareness of the value of physical activity in the pursuit of happier, healthier, more productive lives. To further this vital mission, the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports reached out in 1994 to both public and private organizations to form the Presidential Fitness Partners in May. By working together in this partnership, individual health and fitness messages will achieve increased public resonance.

Powered by NewsWire One

To view electronic release go to: http://www.newswire1.net/NW2006/C_GYM_MA/GYM0413/

Source: Business Wire

More News in this Category