I’m delighted to report that we’ve had a very active summer at the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. We celebrated our 50th Anniversary on July 16, 2006 (President Dwight D. Eisenhower established the Council on that date in 1956). The new President’s Council met in Washington, D.C. on July 26th to rededicate ourselves to the Council’s vision and mission and devise strategies for sounding the alarm about the health risks of sedentary living while spreading our message of the joy of active living.

On November 15, 2006, the Council will meet again in Washington to discuss further implementation of our plans to activate Americans through leveraging our many creative partnerships. We now have over 300 50th Anniversary Partners to Get America Moving. I encourage you to visit our website and to view partners from your state. You may be surprised to learn about things happening in your very own backyard.

I’ll be back to you in the winter issue of our E-newsletter to report on the Council’s November meeting. In the meantime, keep active! Hard as it is to believe, fall will soon give way to winter. Now is the time to get in shape for winter sports. If you start a physical activity program today, you’ll be ready for winter fun by Christmas. Winter sports such as snowshoeing and skiing are a great way to be active, have fun and spend time with your family during the holidays and winter weekends. For more information on winter sports, see www.thesnowtrade.org the Web site of our 50th Anniversary Partner, Snowsports Industries America (SIA). Watch for information about SIA’s “Winter Feels Good” program and Winter Trails Day 2007, which will be observed January 7 at more than 100 locations in the U.S. and Canada (www.wintertrails.org). It’s never too early to start planning.

Here's to being active and fit!

Melissa Johnson, M.S.
Executive Director