Contact Cheryel Carpenter at 817-459-6404
September 24, 2004

Arlington Mayor Robert Cluck will challenge Arlington residents to get fit when he launches his citywide fitness initiative at the start line at 11 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 2. The location is the Elzie Odom Recreation Center at 1601 N.E. Green Oaks Blvd. The media is invited.

From 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., vendors will showcase the latest in health and fitness services. Mayor Cluck, who is also a physician, vowed to make 2004 a year of fitness and better health for Arlington residents. His office organized a Fitness Task Force and began the effort to help move Arlington from one of the fattest to one of the fittest cities in the country.

Arlington area hospitals and non-profit organizations will offer free health assessments, nutrition and disease prevention information at the October 2 Mayor’s Challenge. Other vendors will include Arlington Memorial Hospital, Medical Center of Arlington, American Heart Association, American Cancer Society, Tarrant County Health Department, Velociti Fitness and City of Arlington Parks and Recreation Department. The free event will include activities for children and jump rope demonstrations by Arlington students.

Organizers will issue free pedometers to the first 100 people entering the Mayor’s Fitness Challenge Event from 10:30 to 2 p.m..