United Skates Takes The Challenge and Joins Nickelodeon in Nationwide ‘Let’s Play Go Healthy Challenge

Seaford, New York- United Skates announced today that it will once again be a partner in the Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge, a joint partnership between Nickelodeon and The Alliance for a Healthier Generation, an initiative of the William J. Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association, encouraging kids to commit to take specific steps to make their lives healthier. The five-month-long effort will culminate in Nickelodeon’s third-annual Worldwide Day of Play on Sept. 29, 2007. 

The Let’s Just Play (Let’s Just Play) Go Healthy Challenge, which debuted on April 29 2007, on Nickelodeon, focuses on  four “role model kids”—Health Warrior Ayesha, Emerging Athlete Bianca, Barrier Breaker Wes, and Activist Chris, as they take steps toward a healthier lifestyle. The Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge aims to encourage kids to take an active part in changing four common lifestyle issues, from lack of physical activity to poor eating habits to unhealthy home and community environments. The intent of the Challenge is to encourage kids to register online to Go Healthy—to pick a role model to learn from and emulate, and then to create a simple health plan to follow and work on throughout the summer months.

The Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge will culminate on Sept. 29, 2007, with a local Worldwide Day of Play event that will take place with other Days of Play throughout the country. 

As a Let’s Just Play Go Healthy Challenge partner, United Skates will take on four community-wide health tasks as a group while also encouraging kids while they take the Challenge individually.  

The four tasks that United Skates will take on are:

• Continuing to Implement and run a FUN AND FITNESS campaign which teaches children the benefits of roller skating while having fun!!
• Donating FREE passes to the Boys and Girls Clubs of Long Island so that their members can enjoy Worldwide Day of Play at United Skates!
• Giving ½ price admission to any child that would like to come to join in the festivities on September 29 at United Skates. The half price admission will be valid for either the 10am-12pm session or 12:30-3 pm session.
• Getting other organizations involved in Worldwide Day of Play and participating in the big event on September 29th. 

United Skates will host a local Worldwide Day of Play at their rink in Seaford on Sept. 29, 2007.  The event will include local partners in fitness within the community, character appearances, ½ price admission for all kids on National Day of Play, give-a-ways, raffles, and MUCH MORE!!! 

About Nickelodeon

Nickelodeon has committed more than $28 million and 10% of its airtime to health and wellness messaging.  Nick held its third annual Worldwide Day of Play on September 30, 2006, where the network went dark to encourage kids to engage in healthy and fun activities.   As part of the Let’s Just Play campaign, Nick is giving away more than $1 million this year through the “Let’s Just Play Giveaway.”  

Nickelodeon, now in its 26th year, is the number-one entertainment brand for kids. It has built a diverse, global business by putting kids first in everything it does. The company includes television programming and production in the United States and around the world, plus consumer products, online, recreation, books, magazines and feature films. Nickelodeon’s U.S. television network is seen in more than 89 million households and has been the number-one-rated basic cable network for more than ten consecutive years.  Nickelodeon and all related titles, characters and logos are trademarks of Viacom International Inc.

About The Alliance for a Healthier Generation

The Clinton Foundation and the American Heart Association partnered in May 2005 to create a new generation of healthy Americans by addressing one of the nation’s leading public health threats— childhood obesity.  The initiative will focus on preventing childhood obesity and creating healthier lifestyles for children overall.

The alliance aims to target several areas that the group hopes will spark change and slow the increasing rate of childhood obesity in the U.S., and encourage healthier lifestyles for young people.  The effort will focus on four key areas: industry, schools, healthcare professionals and kids.

For more information on the Alliance for a Healthier Generation, please visit: www.healthiergeneration.org.  

About Boys & Girls Clubs of America

Boys & Girls Clubs of America (http://www.bgca.org/) comprises a national network of more than 3,300 neighborhood-based facilities annually serving some 4 million young people, primarily from disadvantaged circumstances. Known as “The Positive Place for Kids,” the Clubs provide guidance-oriented character development programs on a daily basis for children 6-18 years old, conducted by a full-time professional staff. Key Boys & Girls Clubs programs emphasize character and leadership development, education and career development, health and life skills, the arts, sports, fitness and recreation. Boys & Girls Clubs of America are nationally recognized destinations for kids, providing much-needed haven for play through after school programs, sports and recreational activities, and by creating special events that focus kids and their communities on the importance of play.

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For More Information, Contact:
Karen Palermo, Event Coordinator
United Skates of America
516-795-5474, ext 13
www.unitedskates.com