The Reminder is making its archives back to 2003 available on our website. Please note that, due to technical limitations, archive articles are presented without the usual formatting.
Hey parents and caregivers! If you have children in school, get out your favorite walking shoes! On Wednesday, October 5 join hundreds of students across Canada and around the world as they lace up their sneakers to take part in International Walk to School Day. Every weekday, many students are DRIVEN the short distance to their neighborhood schools. The result? Two-thirds of children and youth are not active enough to lay a solid foundation for future health and well-being; our air is polluted from vehicle emissions; and traffic congestion around schools is a real hazard. International Walk to School day rallies for safer streets, conservation of the environment and more active lifestyles for youth. Levels of obesity among Canadian children aged seven to 13 have tripled over the past 20 years. One way to combat this trend is by encouraging and helping youth to be more physically active by walking, cycling or inline skating to school. Additional pluses are a healthier environment and safer communities. Traffic congestion is reduced and neighborhood life is revitalized by the increased presence of people on the streets. A solution for parents concerned about the safety of their children walking to school is the "Walking School Bus" concept. Parents join in the fun by organizing a walking school bus, which simply involves walking a group of neighborhood children to school. This allows parents to take turns in sharing responsibility for the safety of their children. For more information contact the NOR-MAN RHA at 687-1331.
