Athens, Ga. – The State Botanical Garden of Georgia announced today that it will participate in Let’s Move! Museums and Gardens, an initiative supported by first lady Michelle Obama and national museum and botanical garden leaders that aims to engage 20 million young people in activities and programs in the next year.
Let’s Move! will provide opportunities for millions of museum and garden visitors nationwide to learn about healthy food choices and will promote physical activity through interactive exhibits and programs.
An estimated 250,000 visitors come to the State Botanical Garden of Georgia each year to walk through the developed gardens and miles of nature trails. This exposure to natural beauty and the outdoors is often enjoyed by entire families sharing time together. In addition, students come to the garden for school field trips, summer camps, family festivals, organized walks and hikes and as part of the garden’s after-school programs. “Last month we had over 150 participants in a 5k trail run, followed by an organized family hike. Our annual family festivals, such as Insectival!, provide excellent opportunities for hands-on science lessons,”said Anne Shenk, director of education at the Botanical Garden.
“Children are much more likely to eat vegetables if they are involved in growing them. Children are also more likely to be active if the outdoors is seen as a place of discovery, beauty and fun,” said Botanical Garden Director Wilf Nicholls. “Botanical gardens not only have a unique opportunity to instill the love of nature in children, we have a social responsibility to do so. Because of this, the State Botanical Garden of Georgia supports Let’s Move! wholeheartedly.”
For more information on Let’s Move! Museums and Gardens, see http://www.imls.gov/news/2011/052311.shtm.
For more information on theState Botanical Garden of Georgia, see http://www.uga.edu/botgarden/.
