Walk and Roll to School Day set for Oct. 7

Five Petaluma elementary schools will participate in the 13th annual International Walk and Roll to School Day on Wednesday, Oct. 7.

Mayor Pam Torliatt will be helping out with the event at Sonoma Mountain Elementary School, and Vice Mayor Teresa Barrett will be assisting at Meadow Elementary School. On Sept. 21, Torliatt issued a proclamation declaring Wednesday as Walk and Roll to School Day.

Corona Creek, La Tercera and Miwok Valley elementary schools also will participate this year. Meadow and Corona Creek are in the Waugh School District, while the other three schools are in the Old Adobe Union School District.

Superintendent Great Viguie told the Argus-Courier in 2007 that Petaluma City Schools has not participated in Walk and Roll to School Day due to safety concerns. For instance, some streets that have heavy traffic don’t have bike lanes or sidewalks, she said.

“We leave it up to parents to decide whether their children should participate,” she added.

More than 50 schools from throughout Sonoma County will be participating in the event, which aims to encourage children and their parents to walk and safely bike to school.

Walk and Roll to School Day encourages and educates students to safely walk and bike to and from school, as well as educate parents, school officials and staff members about the benefits of walking and biking to school.

For more information, visit www.safekidssonomacounty.org, sonomasaferoutes.org and iwalksonoma.org.