WASHINGTON, DC – TV-Turnoff Week 2005 kicks off today with events across the US and in several foreign countries. The national kick-off event took place at Arlington Traditional School, a public elementary school in Arlington, Virginia, where the President’s Council on Physical Fitness and Sports joined representatives from Kaiser Permanente and TV-Turnoff Network to encourage students to break free of TV.

Last year, more than 19,000 organizers planned TV-Turnoff Week events, and an estimated 7.6 million people participated in TV-Turnoff Week.

"Thousands of organizers across the country and around the world are inspiring millions of children and adults to turn off TV see what life is like when they do more and watch less," commented Frank Vespe, TV-Turnoff Network Executive Director. "We commend them for making this Week a true celebration of all that life has to offer beyond the screen."

Organized groups participating include schools, religious groups, Scout troops, libraries, Native American tribes, Tae Kwon Do studios, hospitals, and many others. These organizations participate for many reasons: to promote active lifestyles and good health, to foster reading and academic achievement, or simply to encourage families to spend more time together.

Nearly 70 national organizations, including leading educational organizations like the National Education Association; health and medical organizations such as the National Medical Association, American Medical Association, and Kaiser Permanente; and literacy groups such as Reading Is Fundamental, lent their support.

"TV-Turnoff Week has captured the imagination – and the support – of dozens of major organizations and millions of children and adults," Vespe commented. "It is clear that more and more people now realize that when we turn off the TV, we don’t let life pass us by."

TV-Turnoff Network is a national nonprofit organization dedicated to encouraging children and adults to watch much less television in order to promote healthier lives and communities. The organization’s website is www.tvturnoff.org.