Walk to School Week planned for Oct 3-7, 2005

St. Louis-area groups are putting their muscle behind walk to school initiatives designed to make schoolchildren more active and healthy:

WALK TO SCHOOL EDUCATION INITIATIVE
It is back to school time and while we support our children getting passing grades, let s also promote: clean air, exercise, and safety. The Walk to School Education Initiative aims to encourage children to walk and bicycle to and from school, increase awareness of the importance of regular physical activity for children, and to bring communities together to improve pedestrian safety to make a healthy and walkable community environment.

FACTS:
The prevalence of overweight children has tripled to 63% over the last 30 years, but a walk to and from school can help students achieve the suggested 30 minutes of daily physical activity.

Pedestrian injuries are the 3rd leading cause on unintentional injury-related death among children, but Walk to School Day seeks to educate and improve community and pedestrian safety.

Walking and/or biking to school decreases air pollution and traffic congestion that most schools were not designed for.

PROGRAM PARTNERS:
Trailnet, a local not-for-profit that promotes bicycle and pedestrian activities for recreation and transportation as part of its mission, in partnership with the Missouri Association for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance (MOAHPERD), and Safe Kids St. Louis, is promoting every day as Walk to School Day.

Also see the Walk-and-Bike-to-School website.