Montgomery County to Celebrate ‘International Walk to School Day’ on Wednesday, Oct. 6, with Event at Summit Hall Elementary School in Gaithersburg

Montgomery County to Celebrate ‘International Walk to School Day’ on Wednesday, Oct. 6, with Event at Summit Hall Elementary School in Gaithersburg

Per Montgomery County: 

For Immediate Release: Tuesday, October 5, 2021

Montgomery County will join the celebration of the 24th Annual International Walk to School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 6, with a fun-filled event starting at 8:15 a.m. at Summit Hall Elementary School in Gaithersburg. Elected officials and representatives of the County’s Department of Transportation and Vision Zero programs will be among those distributing safety materials and greeting students and parents to encourage walking to school.

Among those expected to join the event are County Executive Marc Elrich, County Councilmembers Will Jawando and Sidney Katz, Gaithersburg Mayor Jud Ashman and Department of Transportation Director Chris Conklin.

Summit Hall Elementary School is located at 101 West Deer Park Road in Gaithersburg. The event will take place in front of the school.

“Montgomery County is committed to ensuring that walking and biking to school is a safe option for as many students as possible,” said County Executive Elrich. “Walking or biking to school is good for a student’s health and well-being, as well as helpful to our efforts to reducing carbon emissions from vehicles. As part of our Vision Zero efforts, we will continue to invest in sidewalks, bicycle paths and public safety staffing, such as crossing guards, around every school building in order to make walking or biking to school an option for more students.”

International Walk to School Day is a global event that involves communities from more than 40 countries walking and biking to school on the same day. It began in 1997 as a one-day event. Over time, it has become part of a movement for year-round safe routes to school and a celebration each October. This year, thousands of schools from all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico are expected to participate.

Walk to School Day takes place on the first Wednesday in October to promote health and safer routes for students to walk and bike to school. The County Department of Transportation’s  Safe Routes to School program supports the event as part of the County’s overall commitment to Vision Zero to end traffic deaths and serious injuries on its roads.

The day’s activities aim to reinforce reminders for drivers to be alert for pedestrians and for pedestrians of all ages to use marked crosswalks.

“Walking to school is a great way to build community, get exercise and lessen the environmental impact associated with driving,” said MCDOT Director Chris Conklin. “We are happy to support our students and hope to bring attention to pedestrian safety and walking for exercise.”

More overall information on Walk to School Day can be found at http://www.walkbiketoschool.org/.  The site offers suggestions such as 20 Ideas for Walk to School Day.