Community Commentary:

If you’re a kid, do you walk to school, play at recess or lunch or run the bases for your team at practice? If you’re an adult, do you take a walk, swim or ride a bike? These are a few examples of exercise that increase your heart rate and will qualify you to participate in the 2010 Orange County Fitness Challenge.

From now until May 31, simply log on to www.CalGovCouncil.org/ OrangeCountyFitnessChallenge to indicate you were active in some sort of physical activity for at least 30 minutes a day, three days a week.

At the kickoff ceremony, I challenged the mayor of Santa Ana for recognition as City of the Year champions of the 2010 Orange County Fitness Challenge. Fountain Valley can win this competition! The winning city will be selected based on a combination of total “Active Days” recorded by participating students, parents, teachers, city employees and other residents relative to each city’s population.

So, what is the reward of participating in this challenge? First and foremost is the fact you will be healthier and more physically fit and begin or continue a lifelong habit of exercise. Researchers are indicating this generation of children may be the first in history to have a shorter life expectancy than their parents. There has been a positive correlation to a student’s readiness to learn, academic performance, attendance, confidence and test scores among students who participate regularly in physical activity.

Because the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports is a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization with no government funding, many private organizations are providing individual incentives.

Every student in kindergarten through 12th grade completing the challenge will receive a certificate of completion and a free lift ticket to Mammoth Mountain.

High school students, teachers, parents, employees and community members can download free passes to 24 Hour Fitness when they sign up for the 2010 Orange County Fitness Challenge.

Multiple commemorative flags can be earned for the City of the Year, District of the Year and School of the Year. Participating schools may qualify for one of the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports regional or statewide awards. These monetary awards are worth $6,000 each on the regional level, and 11 will be given.

Three awards of $100,000 will be given for physical fitness equipment and the design of a fitness center.

So, are you ready for the challenge and some friendly competition? Just log in your activity and let’s show the city of Santa Ana that Fountain Valley is the most active and physically fit city in Orange County. And when you see the commemorative flag flying above City Hall, you’ll know you helped earn it!

LARRY CRANDALL is the mayor of Fountain Valley.