In honor of Crossing Guard Appreciation Day May 4, 2010, Chicago Department of Transportation and the Active Transportation Alliance are asking neighbors to share stories about their local crossing guards. Chicago and suburban residents can share how much they value their crossing guard at www.activetrans.org/crossingguard

The survey will be open until through May 4, 2010, the day Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn declared as Crossing Guard Appreciation Day "in recognition of the services that these dedicated professionals provide to keep our citizens and their children safe."

"Crossing guards provide an invaluable service to our communities," said Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance. "They are out there every day making the streets safer by helping children get to school and guiding residents as they walk to the bus."

There are plenty of ways you can show your crossing guard appreciation May 4. Drivers, bicyclists and pedestrians all owe a bit of thanks to our unsung heroes.

  • Download and present them with this certificate of appreciation
  • Write a thank you note
  • Draw a picture of you and your crossing guard
  • Respect the crossing guard's authority
  • Bring them flowers from your garden
  • Pay attention when driving through the intersection
  • Introduce yourself
  • Smile! Wave! Wish them a Happy Crossing Guard Appreciation Day

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America's largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

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Thousands of people in Illinois are finding a new motivation to be active through a free online program that offers participants support in developing healthier, more active lifestyles.

Walk Across Illinois is a free health initiative that creates opportunities for everyone to achieve their full potential for physical activity. Find out more at www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org.

Registered participants earn "miles" through physical activity and use those miles to track their progress on virtual routes across the state.  Walk Across Illinois is a program through the Active Transportation Alliance, which works to improve the health and sustainability of Chicagoland's transportation.

More than 12,000 walkers have logged over 1.2 million miles since Walk Across Illinois launched in 2005.

"One of the easiest ways to earn miles is to replace car trips with walking or biking trips," said Rob Sadowsky, Active Trans executive director. "Whether it is a walk to the store or a bike ride with your family, your virtual tour starts right at home."

The program's website provides participants with resources to make it easy to get active. Resources like information on route locations and a tracker that allows participants to report and track their progress will make help walkers stay motivated every step of the way.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, one in four people living in Illinois are obese and more than half of the population is considered overweight.  Through Walk Across Illinois, thousands from all across Illinois are on the path towards better health by incorporating physical activity into their daily routine.

Walk Across Illinois envisions neighborhoods and streets filled with residents being active together within their communities.  This free online program is a fun and rewarding opportunity that makes it easy for everyone to develop active lifestyles through walking and other physical activity.  Anyone can register at www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org and embark on a journey towards health and fitness one step at a time.

Find out more about Walk Across Illinois at www.WalkAcrossIllinois.org.

The Active Transportation Alliance is a non-profit, member-based advocacy organization that works to make bicycling, walking and public transit so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel. The organization builds a movement around active transportation, encourages physical activity, increases safety and builds a world-class transportation network. Formerly the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, the Active Transportation Alliance is North America's largest transportation advocacy organization, supported by more than 6,000 members, 1,000 volunteers and 35 full-time staff. For more information on the Active Transportation Alliance, visit www.activetrans.org or call 312.427.3325.

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