The Somerville Dog Owners Group is proud to participate in the Mayor's Fitness Challenge Kick-Off Health and Wellness Fair, Saturday, March 20, 2010, 12 - 5 p.m. in the Somerville High School Gym, 81 Highland Avenue. We will have information about the ways that walking your dog is not only a part of a healthy lifestyle, walking your dog can improve your fitness and can make you more successful in reaching your personal fitness goals. We will be organizing dog walking groups for residents who are interested.

som|dog will also be fielding a team in Mayor Curtatone's All America City Health Challenge, competing with teams of city employees, schools, community leaders and the public with the goal of measruing individual and total team weight loss and BMI change. Details forthcoming.

Although dogs are not allowed in the Gym, we invite all Somerville dog owners to come to the fair where you can pick up some great swag, including pedometers and safety lights for walking after dark, which you can clip on your dog's collar. All participants receive a Mayor's "Fitness Buck," which gives discounts at local businesses and wellness establishments

At the culmination of the twelve week challenge there will be an outdoor festival at the Blessing of the Bay Boathouse on the Mystic River where leashed and licensed dogs that enjoy the company of other dogs will be welcome.

Volunteers Needed!

With the Mayor's Fitness Challenge Kick-Off Health and Wellness Fair less than a week away, we need people to help staff our table in the Somerville High School Gym. If you can spend an hour or so at our table, please contact me at moc.godellivremos@eocsibelehcim. It's a great opportunity to learn more about what we do and to help promote Somerville dog owners as the likeable civic-minded folks that we are!

Also, if you are interested in participating in a dog-walking group in your neighborhood, I would appreciate it if you could contact me before March 20 at moc.godellivremos@eocsibelehcim.