Mansfield to Join in at International Walk to School Day

The following is a press release from the Hockomock YMCA.

Elementary Schools in Foxboro, Mansfield and Sharon, Sharon will be joining schools from around the world to celebrate International Walk to School Day on October 5, 2011.   

In Mansfield, families are invited to meet at the Municipal Parking Lot on N. Main Street (next to ) at 7:30 a.m. and walk to at 7:45 a.m. Families are encouraged to walk from other locations within 1 mile of school as well.

Students and their families will be walking to school along with parents, teachers, area YMCA staff and community leaders.  Families are encouraged to walk from home if they reside 1 mile from school, or make plans to walk from a friend or neighbor’s house.

In the U.S., International Walk to School Day is expected to be celebrated at over 3,500 events at participating schools. Walkers from the U.S. will join children and adults in 40 countries around the world.

Walk to School events work to create safer routes for walking and bicycling and emphasize the importance of issues such as increasing physical activity among children, pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, concern for the environment and building connections between families, schools and the broader community.

The event is being organized by the Hockomock Area YMCA Invensys Foxboro Branch, PTO groups, Safe Routes to School Committees, and the Healthy Futures Task Force members.  The Healthy Futures Task Force is a group comprised of community leaders and representatives dedicated to improving the health and wellbeing of our community families and youth.  International Walk to School Day is a part of Healthy Futures month; a month of activities and programs for families to remain active and healthy. 

For additional information, please visit these Web sites:

International Walk to School in the USA                www.walktoschool.org                

National Center for Safe Routes to School                www.saferoutesinfo.org

International Walk to School                                 www.iwalktoschool.org

For additional local information, contact Caitlin Hurley, Director of Youth and Community Wellness at 508-772-1351.