Shape Up Across Oregon

 Bike Across Oregon
 

 
 

What is Shape Up Across Oregon?

  • Shape Up Across Oregon is dedicated to improving the health and fitness of all Oregonians

  • Shape Up Across Oregon operates a number of signature programs of the same name that motivate and reward citizens of all ages for being physically active on a regular basis and making healthy nutritional choices. Through the generous support of both public and private sector sponsors, Shape Up Across Oregon is made available to all elementary and middle school age youth in the state free of charge. In addition, these annual sponsorships also allow the program to be offered to adults, seniors, families and work-site employees for a modest participant fee. Shape Up Across Oregon provides all program materials and statewide prizes, making it easy to implement in a wide variety of settings.

  • Shape Up Across Oregon participants keep track of the number of minutes they participate in any type of physical activity, and log earned 'miles' for every minute of exercise. The goal is to be active enough to earn 1350 miles - the equivalent of the distance following a path across the State of Oregon - in a one-month period.

  • Shape Up Across Oregon promotes the kinds of activities recommended in the Surgeon General's Report on Physical Activity and the new HHS-USDA Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2005 released in January, 2005, calling for 30 to 90 minutes of physical activity a day.

  
 

The History of Shape Up

In 1998 the Oregon Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports launched Shape Up Across Oregon as a state-wide fitness motivation program for elementary and middle school age youth. Through the generous support of both public and private sector sponsors, this school-based program has grown to be the largest statewide physical fitness program of its kind in the nation. In 2009, 79,000 school-age youth participated!

Governed by an independent Board of Directors made up of physicians, educators and athletes, Shape Up Across Oregon still maintains its affiliation with the Oregon Governor's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports yet it also is forging new strategic partnerships to promote physical activity and fitness across a broader spectrum of the population.

Through a partnership with the Oregon Recreation and Parks Association (ORPA), Shape Up Across Oregon became available for adults, seniors and families through a number of community-based parks and recreation districts. In addition, Shape Up Across Oregon received a small grant from the Oregon Department of Human Services (DHS) and the Center for Disease Control (CDC) to design and pilot a work place version of Shape Up for employers to offer their employees as a way of promoting better health and fitness through the worksite. Employers may now select a one-month or multi-month program to offer their employees.

 
 
Shape Up Across Oregon
4614 SW Kelly Avenue, Suite 100 • Portland, OR 97239
(p) 503-245-2102    (f) 503-245-2628
info@shapeupacrossoregon.org