Communities are using the walk or bike to school as the first step to change community culture and create environments that are more inviting for everyone, young and old.
"Walking to school is good for kids and they love it," says Missouri Bicycle Federation Executive Director Brent Hugh.
"When I was going to school myself, the majority of kids walked or bicycled to school, Hugh said. "Now just a few do. Kids who walk and bicycle have better health and do better academically."
Walk to School Day is easy to get started. It just one parent, student, teacher, or administrator.
In 1997, the Partnership for a Walkable America sponsored the first National Walk Our Children to School Day in Chicago, modeled after the United Kingdom’s lead. Back then, it was simply a day to bring community leaders and children together to create awareness of the need for communities to be walkable.
By the year 2002, children, parents, teachers and community leaders in all 50 states joined nearly 3 million walkers around the world to celebrate the second annual International Walk to School Day. The reasons for walking grew just as quickly as the event itself.
Columbia's PedNET has developed one of the premier Safe Routes to School programs in the nation. PedNET has developed simple step by step instructions that allow any parent, teacher, or administrator put together a Walk to School Day.
Though it is a bit late to start planning an event for Oct 4th, Walk/Bike to School month continues the entire month of October, so schools can pick any day within that month to create their own walk/bike to school day.
