New effort aims to get kids "to play, to learn, to serve and to work outside"

MILWAUKEE -- Milwaukee Mayor Tom Barrett is promising a new push to keep kids active. The announcement came on Wednesday, June 22nd.

Let's Move! Outside initiative

At one of Milwaukee County's parks on Wednesday morning, a handful of kids get a lesson in outdoor work. They began the work just after Mayor Barrett announced Milwaukee was selected as one of the 50 cities to participate in the nationwide movement, Let's Move!, which is led by First Lady Michelle Obama.

"We want to get millions of kids across the country to play, to learn, to serve and to work outside," said David Jayo from the U.S. Department of Interior.

Officials say the City of Milwaukee is committed to making that happen.

Let's Move! Outside initiative

"What the first lady has done is, she's made this national effort and having the parks part of this is very, very special," Barrett said.

Milwaukee was chosen to be a Let's Move! city because of its public parks.

"We have fantastic county parks accessible to just about everyone and anyone throughout the whole city," said Michaela Molter, land steward of Washington Park.

The initiative will provide the YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee with funding to help create some outdoor programs for kids to enjoy at their local parks.

The funding for the outdoor summer programs at the YMCA comes from a $5 million commitment by the American Express Foundation.

Let's Move! Outside initiative