FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Chattanooga-Hamilton County Safe Routes to
School
2 January 2007
Regional Planning Agency’s Walk &
Bike to School Program Receives $20K from Benwood for Promotional
Campaign
Award: Benwood Foundation $20,000
Grant
Recipient: Melissa Taylor, Program Director
& Senior Planner at the Chattanooga- Hamilton County Regional
Planning Agency (RPA), (423) 757-5216 or taylor_melissa@mail.chattanooga.gov
Hamilton Co., TN – The Chattanooga-Hamilton
County Regional Planning Agency receives $20,000 grant from the
Benwood Foundation for promotion of the Chattanooga-Hamilton County
Safe Routes to School (SRTS) effort. Benwood officials announced
that the funds are designated for the program and a public
awareness campaign. The program encourages and improves the
conditions for students to walk and bike to school. The funds will
enable a full promotional campaign including program branding,
publication materials, advertisements, and public service
announcements. Lyndhurst is also funding the program to help
provide bicycle and pedestrian safety classes for participating
students.
County
Mayor Claude Ramsey comments, “I am delighted to learn of the
financial support offered by the Benwood Foundation to the Safe
Routes to Schools program. All efforts to get our children to
“Just Move It” are to be applauded. The “Just
Move It” campaign is part of Hamilton County’s Step ONE
initiative to get all citizens eating right and exercising more.
The Safe Routes to School program is an example of how we can get
our children walking and exercising in a safe environment. The
Benwood Foundation’s generous contribution to increase
community awareness of this outstanding program is another step
forward in making Hamilton County a healthier place to
live.”
"I was
fortunate to grow up at a time when walking or biking to school was
the norm. In fact, I was a member of the school patrol - the safe
walk system of the 1950"s. Thanks to Benwood for helping to restore
this cherished benefit of a modern livable community" adds Mayor
Ron Littlefield, City of Chattanooga.
In
addition, the campaign will help create awareness for funding
opportunities available to program participants through RPA from
the Tennessee Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School
Grant Program. RPA is submitting applications for several
participating Hamilton County schools this March with hopes of
receiving more than $250,000 to fund infrastructure improvements
including sidewalks, crosswalks, and updated
signage.
SRTS
is a national and international movement to create safe,
convenient, and fun opportunities for children to bicycle and walk
to school. SRTS is a solution for the alarming nationwide trend
toward child obesity and inactivity. Students and parents are
expected to be healthier from the increase in physical activity.
Community benefits include reduced traffic congestion, reduced air
pollution, reduced fuel consumption, and reduced traffic
accidents.
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