By Jen DeSalvo, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) Wednesday, Oct. 5 is International Walk to School Day, and the Illinois Department of Transportation has partnered with local schools to encourage children and their families to walk or bike to school on that day.
The inaugural “walk-to-school” day happened in 1997, with the United Kingdom joining three years later in 2000 to make the event an international happening.
Each year, the campaign aims to spread awareness in the areas of creating healthier habits, creating a cleaner environment, promoting safety and other benefits to a participant’s local community.
According to walkbiketoschool.org, nearly 15,000 schools in all 50 states and D.C. have been awarded federal funds for Safe Routes to School activities
Photo from http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/
Last year, 129 schools in Illinois hosted events, with over 5,000 registered events held nationwide.
Schools planning to participate in the event are urged to spend time instructing students on pedestrian safety. For more information and to register your event, visit www.walkbiketoschool.org.
The Chicago area has a slight disadvantage from other states as the weather is often uncooperative of outdoor events. Check the forecast ahead of time to best prepare for your walk at www.wlsam.com or on WLS-AM 890.
