Lawrence Walking School Bus: Volunteer Help Needed

In accordance with my new outlook on blogging..I’ve set aside Thursdays to accept posts from groups and organizations in my community that want a little more exposure…another venue to spread the word about their cause or events.

if you are in the Lawrence/Topeka area and would like to submit an article please feel free to Email Me.

This week, my new friend I found on Twitter, Amerika Grewell is writing about the need for organization of a Lawrence Walking School Bus.

In late May the Lawrence school board eliminated bus routes for most students living less than 2.5 miles from their schools. Previously students within a 2.5 mile radius of their school were eligible to “pay to ride” their school bus.

Parents have been encouraged by the school district to pursue alternate modes of transportation to their schools, including walking school buses, bicycle trains, and car pools. At this time there are no formal walking school bus or bicycle train routes in Lawrence, but grass roots attempts are underway to create them.

At its heart, a walking school bus is a group of children walking to school with one or more adults. That may sound simple, and that is part of the appeal. It can be as informal as two families taking turns walking their children to school or as structured as a planned route with meeting points, a timetable and a schedule of trained volunteers.

A variation on the walking school bus is a bicycle train where a group of children and adult leaders ride together to school.

I am looking for parents and community volunteers who are interested in helping to get a Lawrence walking school bus in motion.

***Upcoming opportunities to get involved include***
- Answering questions at the Lawrence Walking School Bus info table at the Red Dog World Record Workout on Wednesday, July 8 either before or after the workout

- Volunteer Coordinator Training, July 7, KCMO, carpool available

- “Driver” training, July 8, Kansas City, MO, carpool available

Anyone attending either training will receive free tickets to the Walk To School Night at the August 9 T-Bones game.

Bridging the Gap will also be holding a community meeting in Lawrence in mid July. Bridging the Gap will also provide a free day long volunteer training at a later date when at least five people are committed to the training.

I encourage you to contact your school’s principal and PTO president for more information about your school’s participation in this. You are also welcome to email me at amerikag@gmail.com. You can follow our progress towards a walking bus at http://www.twitter.com/amerikag

Useful websites:
http://www.walkingschoolbus.org/
http://www.saferoutesinfo.org/guide/walking_school_bus/index.cfm
http://www.pednet.org/programs/
http://www.kchealthykids.org/Initiative-Walking-School-Bus/Index.htm
http://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dnpa/kidswalk/resources.htm#guide