The City Council of Los Angeles has granted Michael Torchia’s declaration to make the week of March 14th, 2010 an Annual Holiday called “Health and Fitness Week” in the State of California. Mayor Villaraigosa will personally be awarding the honor to Michael Torchia at the launch of the Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour. This monumental occurrence is only the first stepping-stone to creating awareness of this dangerously growing epidemic of obesity taking over our country.
Michael Torchia, founder of Operation Fitness, will be launching his Shape Up America Campaign 30-city tour with a free Health and Fitness Event at Pershing Square Park in Downtown Los Angeles on March 14th, 2010. Sinbad will act as Master of Ceremonies for the Awards portion of the event honoring Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger (Health Advocate Lifetime Achievement Award), Cesar Millan (Animal Health Advocate Achievement Award) and Councilwoman Jan Perry (Health Advocate Honoree). There will be 2 rare pieces of equipment from the historical Muscle Beach that has been signed by the legends of bodybuilding on display at the Award Ceremony, which will go up for auction immediately after the event. In honor of “Health and Fitness Week,” the ebay auction will start at the conclusion of the March 14th event and will last the duration of Health and Fitness week. The proceeds will be donated to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger’s After-School All-Stars Organization and Mayor Villaraigosa’s Angel City Gladiator Program.
This monumental event will offer free health screenings, fitness demonstrations for children and adults, nutrition lectures, healthy cooking tips/food preparation, athletic competitions, an obstacle course challenge, boxing classes and martial arts demonstrations, Pilates and yoga classes, chair and table massages and pet health seminars. The Aircraft Owners and Pilots Association (AOPA) will also be setting up a flight simulator for the kids to use at the Shape Up America Campaign event in Pershing Square Park. In addition, Craig Fuller, CEO/President of the AOPA is creating a teen entrepreneurship pilot program, so kids can learn to become pilots at an early age.
The Shape Up America Campaign is designed to increase daily physical activity and healthy eating through education by means of programming, physical infrastructure improvements and city policy changes across the nation. The campaign targets all segments of our communities, including schools, city government, civic organizations, community groups, businesses, and other people who live, work and play in America. The goal is to show people how they can create fun, simple ways of working out, along with participating in stimulating activities at home, at the office, in a park or even in the wilderness. In addition, pet owners will learn innovative ways to get their pets in shape and on a healthy track with proper nutrition and sensible exercise.
Special guest appearances include: Bill Germanakos, the winner of the “The Biggest Loser” (lecturing), Michael O’Hearn (American Gladiator), Patricia Pease (Days of Our Lives), “Shorty” (Pit Boss/Animal Planet), Lauren Mayhew (WWE), Renowned Doctors, Fitness Experts, Holistic Practitioners, Pro Athletes, Bodybuilding Champions, and celebrities from the entertainment industry.
Health organizations who have already joined forces for the Shape Up America 30 City Tour include: The American Diabetes Association, The Alzheimer’s Association, The National Fibromyalgia Association, The Liver Foundation, The American Red Cross, The National MS Society, The American Heart Association, Generation Rescue and The American Cancer Society.
For additional information on Shape Up America, Operation Fitness or the event launching in Los Angeles, please call 800.933.8633 or visit www.operationfitness.com
