By Chris Togneri
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Saturday, October 3, 2009
Say this for Luke Ravenstahl: The mayor knows how to laugh at himself, even when delivering a serious message.
Ravenstahl ditched his standard suit and tie Friday morning in favor of Spandex exercise pants — yes, Spandex — to deliver a message on Healthy Lifestyles Day to 350 students at Lincoln Elementary School in Larimer.
Although he acknowledged feeling a bit strange in his “funny outfit,” he said it is important to remind kids to be healthy, especially in a state where studies show more than 30 percent of children and teens are overweight.
“You’re probably used to seeing me, maybe on the news, right?” he said to the students. “As you see, now I have my Spandex on, my shorts, T-shirt. … I’m living an active, healthy lifestyle.”
Alongside Steelers great Lynn Swann and celebrity physician Andy Baldwin, Ravenstahl, 29, rode a bicycle to the school from Mellon Park to illustrate the benefits of exercise.
“The mayor is a strong cyclist, let me tell you,” said Baldwin, who appeared on “The Bachelor” television show and assists the Surgeon General with a national program combating childhood obesity. “I’ve been to a lot of schools and not one other mayor has actually ridden a bike with me.
“He’s not just talking the talk. He’s biking the bike!”
NEWSLETTER