This Friday 5th grade teachers from four schools in Bethel will recieve bicycle safety education training!! These teachers will then be able to teach bicycle safety education within their physical education classes. This is a HUGE step toward providing this education for all 5th graders in Bethel. Way to Go Teachers!!!

Are you an educator, parent, student, volunteer, city planner, law enforcement officer and/or walking and biking to school enthusiast? Save the date for the Walk+Bike* to School Retreat, June 21-23! Registration for the Retreat will open in January of 2012.

What: Oregon’s Walk+Bike to School Retreat
When: June 21-23, 2012
Where: Bend, Oregon

Some trainings will include (but may not be limited to):

• Pedestrian and Bike Safety Curricula trainings
• Bike-focused encouragement trainings (Kidical mass, bike train)
• Ped-focused encouragement (stop and walk, walking school bus)
• Bike -and pedestrian-focused encouragement (Walk+Bike day and month)
• Advocating for your program and creating campaigns
• Fundraising

Other goals of the retreat include:

• Info sharing/networking/best practices sharing/resource mapping
• Growing and encouraging the Walk+Bike Network.
• Annual meeting: Setting goals and standards for Oregon regarding encouraging and educating students.

There will be more details in the months to come. The cost will be free or minimal (food and lodging not included).

Anyone who is excited to shape the future of Oregon’s youth in regards to active transportation is encouraged to attend. Please forward this message on.

Please contact LeeAnne (leeanne@btaoregon.org) if you would like to be added to our emailing list and to be notified when registration is open.

* The Walk+Bike Committee meets on the first Monday of every month (9am-11am)
via phone conference. If you would like more information, just ask!

My name is Colette Ramirez-Maddock and I work for the River House Outdoor Program. I’m currently teaching a Bicycle Safety Education class at Kelly Middle School. I’m very excited about this class because it is the first time City of Eugene Recreation is teaching the class instead of the BTA. This week, M-TH are the community rides which take the students out on the neighborhood streets allowing them to put into practice the skills they’ve been working on the last 7 classes.

I have four rides with the first starting today. The class runs from 1:55-3:20p. If you are interested in volunteering you just need to show up 10-15min. early to check in as a volunteer at the office and get the route and logistics for the ride. If anyone can come today that would be great! I really need volunteers for today, tomorrow (Tuesday) and Wednesday. Please call me on my cell phone, 925-368-9018 if you are interested in helping out. I’d really appreciate it and I’m sure the students would too.

Cheers,

Colette Ramirez-Maddock
City of Eugene Outdoor Program at the River House
301 N. Adams St., Eugene, OR 97402
(541) 682-6321
colette.m.ramirez-maddock@ci.eugene.or.us

We are enjoying some beautiful fall weather! If you get a chance on these long weekends–go out with your family and walk or bike around the neighborhood! Check out this season’s colors!

There are few meetings happening this week that will inform and influence our transportation system in the coming years and your input is needed. It would be great for this planning commission to hear from parents (and kids!) about the importance of high quality, separated, safe, and comfortable facilities for walking and biking!  Write a letter, draw a picture, sing a song, and send it in telling them how important family friendly active transportation options are to you and your family!

To make it even easier all you have to do is fill out THIS FORM and I’ll submit it for you.

On Thursday (Oct. 13th) from 11:30-1:30 the Metropolitan Planning Commission (MPC) is meeting at the Eugene Public Library (100 West 10th Avenue) and will be discussing the Regional Transportation Plan (RTP). It’s a good time to let the Commission know that active transportation options are important and that we need more facilities that allow families and kids to feel comfortable walking and biking throughout our community. Public comments (limited to 3 minutes) are at the beginning of the meeting.

This would also be a good time to indicate support for some of the projects called out for funding in the next round of Flexible Funding from ODOT. Those projects include the following (more information on each in these letters of support): read more…