Baldwin County schools will come together on Wednesday, May 1, to acknowledge Spring Walk and Roll to School Day.

Walk and Roll to School Day was initiated by the Baldwin County Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Coalition, which spearheads this collaboration that includes Eastern Shore Metropolitan Planning Organization (MPO), Baldwin County Trailblazers, Baldwin County Commission, Baldwin County Legislative Delegation, education foundations and all three public school systems — Baldwin County Public Schools, Gulf Shores City Schools and Orange Beach City Schools. These events are meant to highlight the need for safer walking and biking routes and stress the importance of physical activity for children.

Students, parents, teachers, volunteers and other community members will join as a group and walk to school in an engagement SRTS Coalition hopes will allow people to feel the positive impacts and encourages schools to reduce any barriers that prevent students from having safe bike and pedestrian routes to local schools.

 

“The Baldwin County Trailblazers, with over 20 years of advocacy for SRTS, have been instrumental in championing this cause,” SRTS Coalition’s press release stated. “For a decade, they've operated a daily Walking School Bus program at Fairhope West Elementary. Additionally, in spring 2023, Gulf Shores City Schools introduced their own Walking School Bus program, making them the only two such programs in the state. The SRTS Coalition eagerly anticipates the growth of Walk to School Day initiatives across Baldwin County's communities throughout their ongoing efforts”

Daphne Elementary, Fairhope West Elementary, Orange Beach Elementary, all three Gulf Shores City Schools, Bay Minette Elementary, Summerdale School, Florence B. Mathis Elementary and St. Patrick Catholic School will each participate, with individual schools providing start times and locations.