Safe Routes Iowa Northland Region

"I used to cry..."

After a 5th grade class today a student shared something with me.

"I was afraid before and didn't want to ride. I remember you coming to school last year. But today I liked it. It was really fun, it is a good thing to me now."

Her lesson to me, don't give up on the reluctant riders. They will get it, all good things are worth it!

Healthy Choices Count at SRTS! 🥕 We're proud to participate in Iowa's 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices County Initiative.

Remember: 5 fruits & veggies, 2 hours or less screen time, 1 hour physical activity, and 0 sugary drinks.

Check out October's newsletter for tips!

#5210

Everyone Is a Pedestrian! This month during National Pedestrian Safety Month - we will be sharing Pedestrian and Driver Safety Tips each week.

· Whether walking to work, school, errands, or just for exercise, at some point in the day, everyone is a pedestrian.

· When it comes to keeping pedestrians safe, everyone has a responsibility — pedestrians, drivers, and all those who use our roads.

For more information, visit NHTSA.gov/PedestrianSafety.

Walk & Roll to School Day is October 7, and Safe Routes Partnership has everything you need to celebrate! Download Canva templates, Spotify playlists, and more from our resource library: https://ow.ly/Z0Rx50ZSXQc
Don't forget to register your festivities with Walk, Bike & Roll to School so your efforts get counted toward the national movement. Every school that participates helps show the world that safe routes to school are possible year-round

Send off celebration begins at 8:30am from Veteran's Memorial Hall and Soldiers/Sailors Park in Waterloo. Everyone is welcome to join!

Join us for the American Discovery Trail 250 Relay coming to Cedar Rapids this Saturday, October 3!
🔴⚪️🔵 Walk, run, or bike the Cedar Valley Nature Trail--part of the American Discovery Trail--and celebrate America's 250th birthday with the ADT 250 Relay. 🔴⚪️🔵

Participants are carrying three batons containing the Declaration of Independence in this cross-country relay, which started in California on July 4 and is making its way to Washington, D.C.

The relay leaves Waterloo at 8 a.m. Saturday, with refreshment stops in Gilbertville and Center Point. You can join the fun anytime along the route, including Robins, Hiawatha, or Cedar Rapids.

Saturday, October 3:
🔴⚪️🔵 2 p.m. Informal Welcome at the Wagon on Cedar Lake
🔴⚪️🔵 4 p.m. Official Welcome at Greene Square in front of the American Discovery Trail mural, with free family and community activities at the square
🔴⚪️🔵 5 p.m. The celebration continues with specials at downtown restaurants and bars

Sunday, October 4:
🔴⚪️🔵 8 a.m. Sendoff for relay participants at the Alliant Energy LightLine™ near Mount Trashmore
🔴⚪️🔵 8:30 a.m. ADT 250 Relay heads to West Branch

American Discovery Trail asks participants to register at discoverytrail.org
Participation in the relay and at all local events is FREE.

Celebrate this beautiful coast-to-coast trail that passes through Cedar Rapids and our country's 250th birthday in a once-in-a-lifetime event! 🔴⚪️🔵

October is National Pedestrian Safety Month!

At some point every day, we’re all pedestrians. Whether you’re behind the wheel or on foot, we all play a role in keeping our roads safe.

In 2024, pedestrians accounted for 18% of all traffic fatalities in the U.S. Help keep everyone safe by:

🚗 Slowing down and staying alert
🚸 Always stopping for pedestrians in crosswalks
🏫 Using extra caution near schools and neighborhoods
🌙 Watching carefully in low-light and nighttime conditions
📵 Staying focused and avoiding distractions
🚫 Never passing a vehicle stopped at a crosswalk

With Halloween approaching and more families out walking, October is a great reminder to slow down, look twice, and watch for pedestrians.

Learn more: NHTSA.gov/Pedestrian

We have decided to cancel the event today with Reinbeck Lions Club due to weather. We'll try again at a later date TBD.

*****Update******Canceled due to weather*****

Safe Routes to School Coordinator Brenda Vavroch will be in Reinbeck on Saturday, September 26th, partnering with the Reinbeck Lions Club to host a bicycle safety course for students in 2nd - 5th grade.

The Bicycle Rodeo will be held on Main Street at 10:00 AM.

Topics covered will be key traffic and bicycle safety rules, hand signals, and how to safely ride e-bikes and e-scooters.

A big thank you to Nashua-Plainfield Community Schools for another wonderful year of partnership with Safe Routes to School!

We are so grateful to continue working together for the 6th year to teach students the importance of bicycle and pedestrian safety.

Our week starts with our Safe Routes to School coordinator visiting every K–2nd grade classroom for a 30-minute safety lesson. The following day, students bring their bikes and scooters to school for a fun Bike Rodeo!

These photos capture just some of the great time students had while learning bicycle safety skills and practicing safe riding.

Thank you to the students, teachers, staff, and families of Nashua-Plainfield Schools for making bicycle safety education a meaningful part of your school and children's education. We look forward to many more years of partnership!

Would you like to bring bicycle safety education to your school? Contact our Safe Routes to School Coordinator Brenda Vavroch to learn more about bringing Safe Routes to School programming to your students!

5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count is coming to Winthrop & East Buchanan!

Winthrop and the East Buchanan Community School District have been selected to participate in the 5-2-1-0 Healthy Choices Count Program, funded through Iowa Health and Human Services.

The program encourages four simple daily habits:
🥕 5 or more servings of fruits and vegetables
📱 2 hours or less of recreational screen time
🏃 1 hour or more of physical activity
🥤 0 sugary drinks

Over the next two years, Safe Routes Iowa Northland Region Coordinator Brenda Vavroch will work with the school district and community partners to help create healthier opportunities for local children and families.

Learn more: https://hhs.iowa.gov/health-prevention/food-diet-exercise/5-2-1-0

*****Update******Canceled due to weather*****

Safe Routes to School Coordinator Brenda Vavroch will be in Reinbeck on Saturday, September 26th, partnering with the Reinbeck Lions Club to host a bicycle safety course for students in 2nd - 5th grade.

The Bicycle Rodeo will be held on Main Street at 10:00 AM.

Topics covered will be key traffic and bicycle safety rules, hand signals, and how to safely ride e-bikes and e-scooters.