Help make streets safe for Illinois children by supporting Safe Routes to School and participating in International Walk to School Day.

• Do you think children should be able to cross the street
  safely?
• Are you concerned about the drastic increase in childhood
  obesity?
• Do you think children should be able to travel independently
  before they can drive a car?

You can help make Illinois a great state in which children can
walk and bike. Here’s how you can help:

1. Help pass a statewide Safe Routes to School bill.
   The bill would provide funding for projects that improve walking and
   cycling conditions around Illinois schools.

   • Provide testimony: Testify in person or
     in writing at a public hearing on why Illinois needs a Safe
     Routes to School bill. Children are encouraged to
     participate! Here are some
     talking
     points.

     Date: September 4, 3-6 pm
     Location: Thompson Center, Room 16-503, 100 W. Randolph,
     Chicago, IL

   • Contact your state legislators: Please
     let your Illinois Senator and Representative know that you
     care about children walking and bicycling to schools. Ask
     them to attend the September 4 hearing. Find your state
     legislators.

2. Participate in International Walk to School
   Day. October 8 is International Walk to School
   Day. It is a great opportunity to promote walking and
   bicycling and to raise awareness of any needed improvements
   around local schools. Gin Kilgore, of the Center for Neighborhood
   Technology, and Dave Glowacz, of the Chicagoland Bicycle
   Federation, are offering a free workshop on organizing
   activities and getting media coverage for local events. An
   invited speaker is Maryann Romanelli, who has organized
   successful Walk to School day events in Hinsdale, and leveraged
   support from those events into sidewalk improvements in her
   community. This workshop should be helpful for parents,
   students and teachers seeking creative ideas for a Walk to
   School Day event that will create momentum for the whole
   year.

   Date: September 10, 6-8 pm
   Location: Chicago Area Transportation Study, 300 West Adams,
   2nd floor, Chicago, Illinois next to Sears Tower
   Contact: Gin Kilgore, phone:
   773 278-4800 x115

**Spread the word**: We hope many parents,
children, teachers, doctors, police officers, community activists
and people who remember how much fun walking and biking to school
can be will get involved. Here is a
flyer to
distribute.

For more information, contact: Gin
Kilgore, phone 773 278-4800 x115

This entry was posted on Tuesday, August 26th, 2003 at 4:08 pm and is filed under Transportation and Community Development. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.