‘KIDS In MOTION’ Fair – Part of the 4^th Street in Motion Festival May 9^th 11am – 5pm – Showcases Fitness & Health Activities At Burbank Elementary School

Recognizing the vital role it can play in countering the growing childhood obesity problem in the US, the Luther Burbank Elementary School is hosting a FREE family-oriented festival to promote fun yet healthy eating and exercise habits for area children and their parents. The event is entitled Kids in Motion.

According to Gretchen Swenson, board member of the Rose Park Neighborhood Association and Kids in Motion co-chairperson, “Many children in the Rose Park neighborhood—as in other urban areas—have no access to backyards and parks in which to play. And the prevalence of passive pastimes (e.g., video games) further limits the amount of exercise these children get.”

The Garden of the Mind project at the Luther Burbank School is designed to address this situation. Scheduled on Mother’s Day, Kids in Motion is the kick-off event to promote this project. Garden of the Mind will create a drought-resistant green area in which families can enjoy the outdoors and kids will have access to a playground even when school is not in session. “We’re re-landscaping the school entrance on Junipero as well as coordinating a backyard fruit and vegetable initiative,” adds Lorraine Griego, Principal of Luther Burbank School.

This kick-off event will run in conjunction with the 4th Street in Motion alternative transportation festival being held in the Retro Row district of 4th Street between Junipero and Cherry Avenues the same day. (Events are subject to change without notice. For an up-to-date schedule of activities, visit www.4thstreetLongBeach.com

KIDS IN MOTION ACTIVITIES
Bike Giveaways: Youngsters can earn raffle tickets to win several bikes by participating in fun, inventive fitness programs. Four bicycles have been donated from the Chief of Police, Jim McDonnell, Bike 90800 and local bike shops.

Backyard Fitness Instruction: Dan Latham, the incoming president of the California Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance has joined with the owners of Western Physical Therapy to teach kids how to get fit by using easily found items.

Yoga for Kids: Certified yoga instructors including David Hennage  (www.yogadude.net) and Burbank faculty will introduce kids to the benefits of strenuous stretching and the calming effects of meditation. Many of these methods are used within the classroom to de-stress and focus the children’s attention.

Fitness Boot Camp: Peter McMahon of StoneCORE Training & Fitness will step up the action by focusing on the balanced development of the body through core strength, flexibility and awareness that supports efficient movement (www.stonecorefitness.com).

SafeMoves Bike Rodeo: Children in wheelchairs and those who have brought their own bikes and helmets can navigate a rigorous course with specialists at hand to teach safety techniques (www.safemoves.org).

Paper Airplane Competition: Xump will host “Test Flight,” a paper airplane competition guaranteed to bring out the child in each of us (www.xjump.com).

KIDS IN MOTION ENTERTAINMENT
Dance for Fun and Fitness: Two top-notch dance troupes, including the experienced Aguilas of the Burbank Bailadores, will demonstrate their talents in ballet folklόrico (a Spanish folk dance) and DD’s hip hop dance troupe to show what happens when a child is physically and mentally active.

Live Radio Broadcast: Swoop’s World Radio, a Long Beach-based radio talk show and supporter of bicycling in Long Beach, will report first-hand on all the activities. Swoop’s broadcasts on the BlogTalk Radio Network. See them at the Garden of the Mind booth. (www.swoopsworld.com).

LA Sparks WNBA Team and Mascot Sparky: Team members and Sparky will be on hand to perform and offer one-on-one coaching (www.wnba.com/sparks).

KIDS IN MOTION HEALTH EDUCATION
Tichenor Orthopedic Clinic for Children Offers FREE Health Services: According to Lori Woodruff, Tichenor executive director, representatives will explain the exclusive services the clinic provides to Long Beach residents that improve the functional abilities of children with musculoskeletal limitations. There are 5 Tichenor programs
(http://home.earthlink.net/~tichenorclinic/):

· Therapeutic Development – A multidisciplinary team provides therapy services in an early intervention group setting.  Services are planned in partnership with the families to address individual needs and goals.

· Play Group — Children 3-4 years old with mild delays meet in a group setting to engage in activities that encourage skill mastery in all developmental areas.

·  Orthopedic Care – Children who are uninsured or underinsured are seen by an orthopedist in an outpatient setting.

· Outpatient Therapy – Children see physical, occupational and/or speech therapists for therapy that promotes an optimal level of function, developmental skills, mobility and fitness for each child.  Every family receives a home program so that the parents and children can continue exercise and activities at home.

·  Rich Kempster Swimming Instruction – This swim instruction utilizes the Red Cross Swimming and Water Safety Courses.  Instruction is personalized to fit each child’s special needs and abilities.

· Pauline Klyng Communication Development – Children are assisted in the development of their functional communication skills using assistive technology.

In addition, Molina Health Care will be conducting workshops in the upcoming weeks to assist enrollment of uninsured children to MediCal and Healthy Family programs.

About The Luther Burbank’s Garden of the Mind Project
The Garden of the Mind project (taking its name from Luther Burbank’s eulogy) focuses on innovation, education and community through the permanence of heritage, the wisdom of art and the science of sustainability. The Garden of the Mind plans for 2010 include: 1) restoration of the schools entry, façade and grounds based on the school’s historical significance to Long Beach and the philosophy and science of Luther Burbank, a world renowned botanist; 2) launching a food initiative based on fruits and vegetables that can be grown in one’s backyard; 3) reinstating a weekend playground to help maintain children’s health and fitness; and 4) supporting expanded roles of Burbank’s parents within the neighboring community.

About The Long Beach Bike Festival
4th Street In Motion is part of the second annual Long Beach Bike Festival, spanning three days—May 7-9th—and is among the city’s ongoing efforts to make Long Beach one of the most bicycle-friendly cities in the U.S. The Long Beach Bike Festival is produced by the Downtown Long Beach Associates, the Long Beach Convention & Visitors Bureau, the Long Beach Redevelopment Agency, the City of Long Beach, and the 4th Street Business Improvement Association. Visit www.longbeachbikefest.org.

About 4th Street
Dubbed Retro Row, the 4th Street District stretches between Junipero and Cherry Avenues and is one of the city’s finest independent shopping and dining venues. Retro Row has been recently featured in Lucky and Sunset magazines, as well as in the New York Times (Travel Section, October 2007), Los Angeles Magazine’s Best of LA issue (August 2008), The District Weekly (September 2008) and in the Grunion Gazette. The 4th Street District offers over 30 unique shops and restaurants from which to choose and is home to the newly renovated Art Theatre, built in 1924. Visit www.4thStreetLongBeach.com.

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