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International Walk to School Day, iWalk WHEREAS, Moscow is proud to be bicycle-pedestrian-friendly, recognized by the White House and the National League of Cities as a Let’s Move! City; and WHEREAS, Nationwide, only 35% of students in grades K-8 who live within a mile of school walk or cycle, compared to 89% in 1969; and WHEREAS, Sedentary lifestyles contribute to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, heart disease, high blood pressure, and other health problems; and WHEREAS, Driving students to school, particularly by private vehicles, contributes to traffic congestion, greenhouse gas emissions, and air pollution; and WHEREAS, It is desirable to teach children about pedestrian navigation and safety, physical fitness, and environmental health; and WHEREAS, Land use planning can enable healthy lifestyles, mobility options, social connectivity, and other measures of livability that attract residents and businesses; and WHEREAS, The City of Moscow has productive partnerships with University of Idaho Movement Sciences, Safe Routes to School, Idaho Transportation Department, and others to secure funding, improve infrastructure, and develop programs that support walking or biking to school; and WHEREAS, In 2000, the U.S., Canada, and Great Britain created International Walk to School Day; and WHEREAS, On that day this year, about 1,500 Moscow students, parents, community leaders, school teachers and staff will join their counterparts from 36 countries around the world in walking and bicycling to school; NOW THEREFORE, I, Bill Lambert, Mayor for the City of Moscow, Idaho, USA do hereby proclaim Wednesday, October 8, 2014 as International Walk to School Day in our community, and I encourage everyone to consider the safety and health of children and the vulnerability of pedestrians and bicyclists on that day and every day. DATED this 8th day of October, 2014 Bill Lambert, Mayor