For more information, contact Kim Papich, SRHD public information officer, (509) 324-1539
 
SPOKANE, Wash. – Oct 2, 2012 – If you are one of the many people in Spokane County interested in safely increasing physical activity among our children, mark your calendars for this year’s International Walk to School Day on Wed., Oct 3, 2012. Spokane Regional Health District (SRHD), as part of its Stickman Knows campaign, along with staff and students from Willard Elementary, encourage families to participate in this event and celebrate safer routes for walking and bicycling to school.
 
This internationally-recognized day also emphasizes the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.
 
Willard Elementary, 500 W. Longfellow Ave, is committed to walking and rolling to school the day of the event, along with parents, teachers and community leaders. Health district staff will be onsite at a special school assembly emphasizing pedestrian and bicyclist safety tips from Stickman Knows. Media are invited to attend the school’s celebration of the event.
 
Walking or biking to school benefits children, families, and the community: 

1. Physical activity needs - children need an hour of physical activity per day, walking or biking to school can help. Childhood obesity is on the rise with 10 percent of adolescents in Spokane County in 2010 were obese and another 13 percent were overweight.
2. Better concentration at school - evidence shows that children who are physically active on the way to school burn off some of their excess energy, and are better able to focus in class.
3. Learning road safety - children learn road safety from adults who help them get safely to and from school.
4. Decreased pollution and congestion – increasing the number of students who walk or bike helps reduce car idling and congestion around schools.

Walk to School Day was founded in 1997 as a way to bring community leaders and children together to build awareness of the need for communities to be more walkable. In 2011, students and parents from more than 4,000 U.S. schools joined millions of Walk to School Day participants worldwide.
 
For more information about Walk to School Day, visit www.walkbiketoschool.org. If you have questions about Stickman Knows or want to get involved, contact SRHD’s health program specialist for its Physical Activity program, Heleen Dewey, by emailing hdewey@srhd.org. More information is also available at www.srhd.org. SRHD’s website offers comprehensive, updated information about Spokane Regional Health District and its triumphs in making Spokane a safer and healthier community. Become a fan of SRHD on Facebook to receive local safety and wellness tips. You can also follow us on Twitter @spokanehealth.
 
About Stickman Knows
Spokane Regional Transportation Council board chose to fund approximately $200,000 for the Stickman Knows campaign via a Transportation Enhancement grant provided by the Washington Department of Transportation. In addition to emphasis patrols, the campaign is also visible in many parts of Spokane County including at stickmanknows.org; on TV commercials, billboard and bus advertisements, print ads, and promotional items; and at community events, in schools and neighborhoods—specifically in high-collision areas. Additional funds go toward bicycle helmet distribution via Community Oriented Policing Services (COPS) and Sheriff Oriented Community Policing Effort (SCOPE), and pedestrian and bicycle education in schools.