Background: The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports (PCPFS) seeks to unite the public and private sectors to promote, among Americans of all ages and abilities, enhanced and strengthened awareness of messages on the value of physical activity/fitness and sports participation in the pursuit of a healthy, happy and productive life. This proposed initiative celebrates and reestablishes the "Presidential Partners in May to Get America Moving."

Purpose: The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports feels the time is right to send a more proactive message to Americans about the importance of making physical activity/fitness and sports a regular part of their daily schedule. The President, through his own example, is committed to making physical activity/fitness more appealing to sedentary Americans. Furthermore, in the landmark Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and Health, we have the science based information which shows that physical activity has significant benefits to health, performance, safety, and quality of life.

Strategy: The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports will extend a hand of partnership to influential organizations to help each of us give our health, physical activity/fitness messages increased public resonance. Groups include professional societies, private corporations, coalitions who: (1) support physical activity as a major goal; (2) have potential for significant impact; (3) are inclusive, or aimed at under-represented groups; (4) promote positive, healthy behaviors; (5) disseminate materials free of charge; and (6) do not infer approval of unhealthy behavior or product. The emphasis will be on partnerships promoting physical activity/fitness and sports participation during May, National Physical Fitness and Sports month as well as promoting your own specific monthly and/or weekly celebrations.

When: The President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports seeks to relaunch this landmark partnership partnership in the month of May, National Physical Fitness and Sports Month. May has historically been a time when Americans everywhere are encouraged to celebrate and participate in physical activity/fitness and sports activities, share information and new ideas, and work together to direct national attention to the importance of adopting and maintaining physical activity/fitness to improve the quality of their lives.

May is also the time a number of other communities highlight their interests. It is Older Americans Month, Mental Health Month, High Blood Pressure Education Month as well as nearly a dozen more week and day observances that relate, in some fashion, to the exercise, physical activity/fitness message.

Summary: The initiative, Presidential Partners in May to Get America Moving builds on the recommendations of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports Executive mandate and strategic plan which resonate with a call for increased cooperation and collaboration among public and private organizations. It is also a re-energizing and enhancement of the Presidential Fitness Partners in May celebrated last ten years ago, in 1995. We have surpassed all of our expectations in the past decade and have seen not only the science-base for enhanced physical activity and fitness but also the overwhelming health benefits accrued through regular, daily activity.

Goals will be to create new or merge existing materials reflecting partnerships and positioning of the physical activity/fitness and sports messages to impact on health and quality of life. The PCPFS, as coordinating body and overseer, envisions a minimal outlay of existing funds to initiate this endeavor.

It is our vision that The Presidential Partners in May to Get America Moving will continue to grow and network toward a comprehensive public/private collaborative campaign for many years to come.