Roseburg is like most cities in Oregon: there are a lot of people who want their children to be able to walk and bike to school – and throughout their community – more often. I recently had the pleasure of visiting Roseburg to meet with a few interested people.
I met with Roseburg Public School’s new Superintendent Larry Parsons, who knows full well that healthy, active children are one key component necessary for academic success. He also knows a community where walking and biking is a normal, accepted and safe, regular occurrence is a community where people want to be.
I also met with Douglas County Independent Physicians Association’s Dan Hern, who is very interested in increasing the number of people who walk and bike. The Association knows the positive benefits of regular physical activity. They’ll be helping to promote Walk + Bike to School programs, including Walk + Bike to School Day.
Both Dan and Larry are hoping to get all schools in Douglas County signed up for Walk + Bike to School Day. This is a goal that we’re very happy to support and would make theirs the first county in Oregon to ever achieve such a success.
So that leads me to a challenge for you. Have you registered you school for Walk + Bike to School Day? Do it now!
If you register before September 17, your school will receive a box of incentives and prizes to make your event way more fun for all!
We protect kids too much – so much so that they don’t learn how to be self-sufficient – not to mention not as healthy. I walked two miles to school every day from age 11 (though I did take the bus if it snowed!!!). My neice and nephew live in London and walk to the center of town to take the bus to school every day – they’re 13 and 11 (it’s at least a mile to town). This whole country needs to start walking more – but towns need to do their part in the planning so there are safe routes.