Upper Explorerland’s Safe Routes to School Program would like to thank all the Walking School Bus (WSB) and Biking School Bus (BSB) volunteers. This fall in Northeast Iowa, 38 volunteers led 13 WSB routes and 2 BSB routes, serving OVER 95 kids in our region…and 4 WSB groups are still walking!
Dear WSB and BSB Volunteers (within our region and beyond),
We truly appreciate each and every one of you. Day in and day out, you take time out of your busy lives to corral a peppy, zany, silly, squirrel-y gaggle of kids. Your “job” as a WSB or BSB volunteer seems so straightforward—and on the surface, it is—just a simple walk or bike to school with neighborhood kids. But dig a little deeper, and we begin to realize that you are doing SO much more for our kids than just simply getting them to or from school:
YOU are instilling in our kids a lifelong love of daily movement
YOU are helping our kids develop a sense of independence and responsibility
YOU are introducing our kids to the magical wonders of nature
YOU are teaching our kids about personal safety and community awareness
YOU are a mentor and friendly face for our kids to love and learn from
And YOU are inspiring our communities to make positive changes for a brighter future
And on those days when your gaggle of kids is just a little too loosey goosey, try and remember that even when it doesn’t seem like it, you really are making a difference in the lives of these kids, their families and their communities. YOU are leading the next generation of leaders. THANK YOU!
Sincerely,
Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission
