You’ve heard some version of these stories, right?. Your parents or grandparents had to walk for miles to school, uphill, in a blizzard (or in searing heat, or in pouring-down rain) both ways? Of course, we don’t advocate children walking for miles in extreme conditions but a little exercise each day doesn’t hurt. National Walk and Bike to School Day on October 2 (the first Wednesday in October) is about getting up and moving. Although we may have laughed at the exaggerated details, it’s pretty clear that walking or biking to school each day may have kept our relatives living longer and stronger.
The National Center for Safe Routes to School has been working for more than two decades to create safe conditions for walkable neighborhoods. Being able to walk and ride a bike in the community gives children a strong sense of self-confidence and a better quality of life. And National Walk and Bike to School Day isn’t just for children. We encourage your elected officials to walk and bike, too!
