Event celebrates walking to school

Take a drive around Alma Schrader Elementary School at 1360 Randol Ave. in Cape Girardeau and it becomes clear why few students walk to school. The sidewalks around the school are narrow and in some places nonexistent.

"I'd love to see more sidewalks for the kids to walk safely to school," principal Ruthann Orr said.

School nurse Theresa Ladd said the sidewalks are part of the reason children don't walk to school.

On Wednesday, more than 100 children and a number of parents crowded the narrow sidewalks with some students walking in the street to participate in the ninth annual International Walk to School Day. Three thousand schools in 50 states and 36 countries participated.

First-grade teacher Valerie Williams walked with some of her students.

"I think it would be great if we can get more students walking, but before we can get more students walking we need sidewalks," she said.

Local walk-to-school day organizer Mark Langenfeld said he hopes the lack of sidewalks can be resolved.

"Parents don't want their children walking if they perceive it isn't safe to do so," he said.

In 1997, the Cape Girardeau City Council amended the subdivision regulations to include sidewalks for all new housing developments. Developments from the 1950s and 1960s did not have to have sidewalks, and many, like those around Alma Schrader, do not.

"If you build them, they will walk," Langenfeld said.

City manager Doug Leslie walked with the group as well and spoke with Langenfeld about the problem.

Lagenfeld said he will continue to meet with Leslie and other city government officials to look at what needs to be done as far as sprucing up the current sidewalks and installing new ones.

They will be discussing the edge of Alma Schrader's property that borders Randol Avenue because presently there are no sidewalks there, he said.

Parents and neighbors are encouraged by Lagenfeld to contact their city council member and contact the city manager's office to "keep the issue alive."

Pam Groshong, was asked by her son, Ethan, a fourth-grader, and her daughter, Maggie, a third-grader, to participate in the walk to school.

They live close enough that they often walk to school.

Groshong would like to see a walking school bus, which is a group of students and a few parents organized, but said she would continue to walk with her children. She said she'd like to see more parents and children walking to school.

"It gives you a really good feeling to have the fresh air in the morning and it is a little more together time to talk about the day and wish them a good day," she said.

ameyer@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 127