Program encourages families to get outdoors and be physically active
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The initiative is promoted by the Get Outdoors York (GO York) Task Force of the Healthy York County Coalition. It is conducted in partnership with York County libraries and their annual summer reading club.
Each year, these programs encourage children and parents to get outdoors and be physically active by engaging in an adaptation of letterboxing, a hobby in which participants must follow written clues to locate hidden items.
Physical inactivity and unhealthy eating continue to be significant contributors to the rising rates of overweight, obesity and associated chronic diseases among children throughout the United States.
“Childhood obesity remains an issue in York County, and many children are at risk of developing lifelong health conditions such as diabetes and heart disease,” said Kevin Alvarnaz, director of community health improvement.
“In an effort to reverse this alarming trend, the GO York Task Force continues to annually offer physical activity opportunities for children and their families.”
Through the GO and Search the Galaxy! program, 30 observation points—wooden posts with an etched Plexiglass plate attached to them—are hidden in various parks and along trails in York County. Participants use a crayon to “rub” the picture on the Plexiglass plate onto the corresponding page within their Star Guide, which is available at York County libraries.
All children who locate and rub three unique etchings in their Star Guide receive a prize for participating in the program. Children who locate more than three increase their eligibility to win one of three grand prizes.
In addition to the Star Guide, the GO and Search the Galaxy! program has a website—
www.goyork.org—where program information can be found.
The program also uses Facebook and Twitter to encourage participation and to serve as a real time means of communicating with and among participants.