Child Health Day, 2004

Proclamation 7825 of October 4, 2004

Child Health Day, 2004

By the President of the United States of America

A Proclamation

Parents play a vital role in keeping their children
healthy, and when it comes to helping children make
right choices, there is work for all Americans to do.
Parents, teachers, faith-based and community groups,
and government leaders are working together to counter
the negative influences in today's culture, highlight
the benefits of healthy lifestyles, and educate
children about the consequences of their actions.

By promoting good nutrition and regular physical
activity, parents help their children perform better in
the classroom and live healthy lives. To encourage
healthy families, my Administration is helping young
people learn the simple steps to live better through
the HealthierUS Initiative and the President's
Challenge awards program. These programs encourage
young people to eat a nutritious diet rich in fruits
and vegetables and to set aside time every day for
physical activity, such as playing sports, biking, or
even helping with yard work at home. Encouraging
healthy habits early in life helps give children a head
start and gives them the best chance of reaching their
potential.

Our youth are challenged with tough choices. We must
continue to promote responsibility among our Nation's
young people by providing them with the knowledge they
need to make the right decisions concerning drug and
alcohol use. My Administration supports education
programs that address these issues. Through the
National Youth Anti-Drug Media Campaign and Drug-Free
Communities Program, we are working to ensure that
young people understand the serious risks and
consequences of substance abuse. And in order to help
kids who need help, my Administration supports random
drug testing as a prevention tool. We have also
increased support for abstinence-only education
programs, including grants for community and faith-
based organizations, because abstinence is the only
sure way to prevent teenage pregnancy and sexually
transmitted diseases.

We all have an important role in giving America's
children a healthy start in life by teaching them that
the decisions they make today will affect them for the
rest of their lives. By helping them make the right
choices, we better prepare them for a hopeful future.

The Congress, by a joint resolution approved May 18,
1928, as amended (36 U.S.C. 105), has called for the
designation of the first Monday in October as ``Child
Health Day'' and has requested the President to issue a
proclamation in observance of this day.

NOW, THEREFORE, I, GEORGE W. BUSH, President of the
United States of America, do hereby proclaim Monday,
October 4, 2004, as Child Health Day. I call upon
families, schools, child health professionals, faith-
based and community organizations, and governments to
help all our children discover the rewards of good
health and wellness.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
fourth day of October, in the year of our Lord two
thousand four, and of the Independence of the United
States of America the two hundred and twenty-ninth.

(Presidential Sig.)B