In October the City of Vernon is celebrating International Walk and Wheel to School Month, an annual global challenge that promotes healthy and safe alternatives to driving to school. Vernon students join their peers from over 40 countries around the world in walking, biking or using another form of active transportation to get to school for a day, a week, or the entire month.
Vernon families are encouraged to participate on their own or by joining the activities at their school. Walk, bike, roll, scoot, skate or skip to school at least once a week and share photos of how your family gets to school using the hashtags #walktoschool and #vernonmoves for your chance to win exciting prizes throughout the month.
Fewer children walk to school today than a generation ago. The 2018 ParticipACTION Report on Physical Activity for Children and Youth gave Canada a D- grade in active transportation with only 21% of Canadian children walking to school. According to ParticipACTION, all children should be physically active on a regular basis and in addition to physical health benefits, activity also improves cognition, brain function, and mental health.
For more information visit www.vernon.ca/iwalk. For more information on how to organize an event at your school, contact Angela Broadbent at abroadbent@vernon.ca.
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