Archived News Release from 2007

For Immediate Release

City Recognizes “International Walk to School Week” October 1st – 5th, 2007; Mayor to Take Part in “Walking School Bus” on October 3rd

Redwood City, CA - September 26, 2007 - At its September 24th meeting, the City Council of Redwood City unanimously proclaimed the week of October 1st through October 5th, 2007, as “International Walk to School Week” in Redwood City. To help raise the profile of this important health, safety, and environmental issue, Mayor Barbara Pierce will take part in a “Walking School Bus” on Wednesday, October 3rd, at 7:30 am, starting at the intersection of Eden Bower Lane and Lonesome Pine Road, and joining kids for part of their walk to Roy Cloud Elementary School.

In designating “International Walk to School Week” the City Council wishes to highlight the importance of enabling children in our community to safely walk and bicycle to school. This has a number of benefits including generating physical activity for kids and thereby combating childhood obesity and other health problems among students, reducing the number of car trips, traffic congestion, and pollution, and building community by creating opportunities for neighbors to join with neighbors in escorting kids and providing a safe walk-to-school environment.

On October 3rd, Mayor Pierce will enthusiastically kick off a Walking School Bus, which is simply a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school, or as structured as a specified route with meeting points, a timetable, and a regularly rotated schedule of trained volunteer parents. It’s just one way that neighbors and parents can help kids stay healthy, get to school safely and on-time, and reduce neighborhood traffic. The official International Walk to School website is located at www.iwalktoschool.org.

Visit Redwood City’s award-winning website at www.redwoodcity.org for information about the City and its services, the community, recreation programs, education, and local business. Take a look at the variety of City webcams at www.redwoodcity.org/webcam, and subscribe to Redwood City’s email newsletter and other City documents by visiting www.redwoodcity.org/egov.

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Contact:
Malcolm Smith
Public Communications Manager
650-780-7305