Valley elementary students to join walks to schools

At least three Valley schools will join in International Walk to School Day, an event that promotes physical activity and safe walking routes, on Wednesday and Thursday.

Sierra Vista Elementary in Madera and Lane Elementary in southeast Fresno will join a walk on Wednesday. McCord, in Orange Cove, will participate on Thursday.

Sierra Vista’s walk will begin at 6:45 a.m. at McNally Memorial Park, between Sunrise and Roosevelt avenues, where about 400 students, parents and school staff will participate in fun exercise activities. Participants will walk from there and arrive at the school at 7:45 a.m.

Lane’s walk will begin at 7:15 a.m and McCord’s at 7:30 a.m. An estimated 50 participants at Lane and McCord will arrive at their schools at 8:00 a.m.

Physical inactivity, organizers said, is partly due to the lack of sidewalks, bike lanes and other infrastructure. The walks are intended to raise awareness for the Safe Routes to School initiative, to create a safe, walkable community and encourage physical activity.

Cultiva La Salud is the organizer of walks at Lane and McCord. The Madera County Public Health Department’s SNAP-Ed program, Madera Police Department, city of Madera Parks and Community Services are the organizers of the Sierra Vista walk.

For more information contact the school or visit: www.walkbiketoschool.org, www.saferoutesinfo.org or www.iwalktoschool.org

This story was originally published October 3, 2016 at 9:23 PM with the headline "Valley elementary students to join walks to schools."