On typically the 1st Wednesday of October, every year, we will celebrate International Walk to School Day with 50other states and 50 countries to encourage a more walkable world–one step at a time.

What is Walk to School Day? In 1997, Partnership for a Walkable America, a national alliance of public and private organizations committed to making walking safer, easier, and more enjoyable, established National Walk Our Children To School Day. By 2003, parents, teachers, caregivers, community leaders and students in 50 states and 50 countries along with 3 million walkers worldwide celebrated International Walk to School Day.

These Walks promote physical activity, concern for the environment, awareness of how walkable a community is and how improvements can be made. Walks focus on reducing traffic congestion, pollution and speeds in neighborhoods and near schools. Some walks focus on teaching children safe walking skills or identifying safe routes to school. Every walk celebrates sharing valuable time together.

After you register, the following items will be sent to you which include: Walk to School Day walkability survey for each adult participating in the walk, stickers for all Walk participants, and an Improving Your Community’s Foot Travel form for all adult participants.

NOTHING! Walk to School Day is a free program brought to you by the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness and in cooperation with Rails to Trails Conservancy and League of Michigan Bicyclists.

Just register online at (click here) www.michiganfitness.org or call the Governor’s Council on Physical Fitness at 1/800/434-8642 to register or if you have further questions.

For the health of it! Thirty years ago, over 66% of school children walked to school. Walking or biking to school gives children their first taste of freedom and responsibility, allows children one way to build exercise into their lifestyle and the opportunity to get to know their neighborhood, while arriving at school alert, refreshed and ready to start their day. The CDC states: "Children between the ages of five and 15 do not walk or ride their bicycles as much as they used to (40% less from 1977 to 1995). Today, fewer than three in 10 children who live within a mile of school walk there from home." (Source: http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/aces.htm)

Walk to School Day improves the health and safety of students and the surrounding neighborhood. Traffic is reduced around schools, decreases speed in neighborhoods, students participating in greater physical activity, which potentially improves students’ alertness and behavior, students learn traffic safety skills and there are "more eyes on the streets" which helps reduce crime and increases neighborhood cohesiveness.