When the Today show went looking one American city on which to focus a year-long health and fitness project, they wound up picking Baltimore. According to the Sun, the show solicited opinions from viewers, and of the thousands of messages they received, the “very passionate and heartfelt comments” that came from Baltimoreans sealed the deal.
In a way, it’s a dubious honor, but if it can help make a dent in our rates of diabetes and obesity, then bring it on. The show will send their weekend anchors to Baltimore for health and fitness events. Those events will be recorded and turned into segments for the show.
Mayor Stephanie Rawlings-Blake and health commissioner Oxiris Barbot welcome the attention. They hope the city can use the events as a way “to highlight health and wellness initiatives underway in Baltimore.”
I think it’s a nice antidote to our usual reputation as home of the Wire (though I love the Wire). We have a good mix of fitness options here as well especially in the city