TITLE
Recommendation to respectfully request City Council support for the designation of October 20 - 27 in 2009 as Celebration of Youth Week in cooperation with local efforts to organize activities and programs aimed at reducing obesity and supporting youth programs in our schools and communities.
DISCUSSION
In 1998, Mayor Beverly O'Neill and the City Council proclaimed October as Celebration of Youth month in the City of Long Beach. The Los Angeles County and Orange County Board of Supervisors as well as the California Legislature also declared the entire month in honor of our youth and called on the fourth Sunday in October to be celebrated annually as "Youth Day".
The group responsible for gaining support of these youth celebrations is the United States Youth Athletic Network (USYAN), a non-profit corporation that has created soccer and afterschool programs in Long Beach and other cities in the region. USYAN is planning several activities for October 2009 and hopes to work with local PTA and community organizations to establish Long Beach (Veterans Park) as a starting point for a youth relay that will span several neighboring cities, with the hope of one day becoming a nationwide effort to highlight youth achievements and bring attention to the issue of childhood obesity.
To this end, USYAN has asked the City of Long Beach to renew its support for Celebration of Youth by focusing on October 20-27th. Our support will enable this non-profit to promote the event and recruit community groups for participation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
Suja Lowenthal, Second District
Patrick O'Donnell, Fourth Distrit
Gerrie Schipske, Fifth District