Oct. 7 has been designated by the Council of San Benito County Governments as Walk to School/Work Day in San Benito County, making it part of an international campaign designed to encourage parents, students, and the general community to be more active while creating awareness of the need for communities to be more walkable.

The benefits of Walk to School/Work Day, which is celebrated on the first Wednesday of the month of October, include generating interest in walking as an active form of transportation, which helps students’ concentration and health – all while reducing traffic congestion and air pollution from vehicle emissions.

Some San Benito County schools have good conditions for walking, but parents do not feel comfortable letting their children – especially young ones – travel to school alone. For many of these parents, “walking school buses” may be the answer to this concern. Walking school buses are groups of children who walk designated routes to school under adult supervision, picking up kids along the way just like a bus.

For some neighborhoods, it's a casual group walk, while others set up a formal plan with adults scheduled to walk on certain days. For help to get a Walking School Bus that's right for your community, please contact COG.

To learn more about what local agencies are doing to promote Livable Community communities, please see the attached newsletter.