WEST PALM BEACH — Registration is now open for the seventh annual Let’s Move! Commit to Change Physical Activity Challenge, Palm Health Foundation’s monthlong activity challenge that kicks off on March 1, in partnership with CBS12. Schools, businesses, municipalities, churches, community teams and individuals are welcome to register at letsmovepbc.org for the challenge that resulted in Palm Beach County residents logging a cumulative 32 million minutes of physical activity in 2018. Teams with the highest number of minutes will be recognized at a celebration at the end of the challenge. Registration is free and open to the public.

Let’s Move inspires county residents to complete and log 30 minutes of physical activity each day during the month of March. Participants may complete activities on their own, or take part in events across the county, including the challenge’s official kickoff hosted by Delray Beach’s Let’s Move team on March 1 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. at Old School Square in Delray Beach. Dance and fitness groups from across the county will perform and encourage participants to dance along and log their minutes.

To help participants inspire their teams and others to take on the physical activity challenge, Palm Health Foundation is holding a Let’s Move video contest. Teams are encouraged to create videos of three minutes or less and submit their entries by March 25. Video entries will be displayed on the Let’s Move website, and the winning team will be awarded a traveling trophy at the annual Let’s Move celebration event. More information is available at letsmovepbc.org.

Palm Health Foundation’s Let’s Move initiative was originally inspired by former first lady Michelle Obama’s 2010 national program to decrease childhood obesity. As Palm Beach County’s community foundation focused on leading change for better health, Palm Health Foundation has created the local challenge for adults and children to improve a variety of health issues through regular physical activity, including reducing the risk for diabetes and heart disease, improving mental health and increasing chances for healthy longevity.

According to The State of Obesity, Florida’s adult obesity rate is currently 28.4 percent, up from 18.4 percent in 2000, and it has the nation’s 13th highest obesity rate for youth ages 10 to 17 (16.9 percent).

“Palm Health Foundation is focused on improving the health of all Palm Beach County residents,” said Patrick McNamara, president and CEO. “There is no better way to help our community members achieve their full health potential, both mind and body, than through physical activity. Let’s Move is held during the month of March, but our goal is to encourage residents to adopt healthy behaviors into their daily lives all year long.”

Throughout the month of March, Let’s Move events will be held across Palm Beach County focusing on physical activity, nutrition and healthy behaviors. For a full listing, visit letsmovepbc.org/eventlist.

• Let’s Move & Jam with Digital Vibez at the historic Afro Arts Festival sponsored by the Glades Chapter of Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Inc. on Saturday, March 2, from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at the Lake Shore Civic Center, 1224 S.W. Ave. E Place, in Belle Glade. Free and open to the public. For information, call Wil Romelus of Digital Vibez at 561-244-9983.

• I Love Pahokee Day Festival on Saturday, March 16, from 6:45 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at the Lake Okeechobee dike in Pahokee. Let’s Move 2-mile run/walk/stroll, youth fishing tournament and activities for the entire family, including tug-of-war, jump rope, corn hole toss, horseshoes and much more. Run/Walk registration is at 6:45 a.m.; warm-up, 7:20 a.m.; start time, 7:45 a.m. Rotary Club Youth Fishing Tournament (free fishing rod and tackle box) from 9 a.m. to noon. Activities from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Free and open to the public. For information, email pahokeechamber@att.net.

About Palm Health Foundation
Palm Health Foundation is Palm Beach County’s community foundation for health. With the support of donors and a focus on results, the foundation builds strong community partnerships, respects diverse opinions, advocates for its most vulnerable neighbors and inspires innovative solutions to lead change for better health now and for generations to come. The foundation supports health equity for Palm Beach County residents of all backgrounds, heritage, education, incomes and states of well-being. Palm Health Foundation has invested more than $78 million in Palm Beach County health since 2001. For more information about Palm Health Foundation, visit palmhealthfoundation.org or call 561-833-6333.