About 1500 students will turn out at Library Park on Wednesday, June 4th for a one-mile run to celebrate the value of health and exercise.
Kid’s Marathon is a running and nutrition-education program founded by Rod Dixon, a three-time Olympian and 1983 New York City Marathon champion. The program is a collaboration between the City of Waterbury, Greater Waterbury YMCA, Waterbury Department of Education, Boys and Girls Club of Greater Waterbury and the Waterbury Police Activity League (PAL), aimed at encouraging kids and their families to be more physically active and allow hundreds of elementary and middle school kids to incrementally run a marathon. Students have been running since April, building up to complete 26.2 miles.
The "Final Mile" event, which celebrates months of hard work and dedication by these children, will be held in Library Park. It is free and open to the public.
438 students participated in the first Kid’s Marathon program in 2013. This year that number more than tripled. The City of Waterbury exposed 1,500 student athletes to the sport of running, thanks to a $120,000 grant awarded to the city in January.
The grant program was the result of a partnership between U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) and the American Beverage Association (ABA), to enhance the city’s Kid’s Marathon program, increase public awareness and support cost-effective strategies to successfully reduce childhood obesity in the city.
Representatives from USCM and ABA will be traveling to Waterbury on Wednesday to present Mayor O’Leary with a check.
WHO: Mayor Neil M. O’Leary; Ronald Dellums, former Mayor of Oakland, former U.S. Congressman and Member, Mayors Advisory Group; Jubi Headley, United States Conference of Mayors; Rod Dixon, founder, Kid’s Marathon; Jim O’Rourke, Greater Waterbury YMCA Executive Director.
WHEN: Wednesday, June 4, 2014
4:00 p.m. ABA/USCM Childhood Obesity Prevention Award Presentation
5:30 p.m. 1,500 students run the “Final Mile”
PARTICIPATING SCHOOLS AND PROGRAM SITES:
Waterbury Police Activity League
State Street School
Washington Elementary School
North End Middle School
Wilson Elementary
Carrington School
Bucks Hill Elementary
Duggan Elementary
Hopeville Elementary
Wendell Cross Elementary
Driggs Elementary
Gilmartin School
Bunker Hill Elementary
Wallace Middle School
West Side Middle School
Washington Park
Greater Waterbury YMCA
Boys and Girls Club
Chase Park House
North End Recreation Center