Thank you to Superintendent Sheila Roley from Seaside School District for joining parents, grandparents and neighbors at the Safe Routes to School town hall meeting in Seaside on February 9th.
Despite the landslides that evening, people braved the rain to learn about and speak out for Safe Routes to School! Shasia from North West Transportation Options gave a local program update; including information about the new Safe Routes to School initiative in Seaside.
Superintendent Roley remembered how she walked to school as a kid. She reflected about how it gave her independence and the power to take care of herself. People in the room responded with nods and murmurs of agreement. This is a message that resonates.
Residents then participated in a workshop on how to give public testimony. Four people practiced with our panel of local leaders: 
1. Dale remembered riding home quickly to get back before dark, after an adventure in his childhood town. Heads nodded as he spoke about the need for Safe Routes to School.
2. Shauna is a mother concerned about the health of her kids and all kids in Oregon. She wants her kids to be able to walk and bike to school.
3. Anna works at the school district pupil transportation department and is concerned that kids don’t have enough options to get to school. If the bus has to stop at every corner, it is inefficient for getting kids to school. She notes that when kids walk to school or to the bus, they have fewer behavior problems at school!
4. Steve is a father and says that safe streets are critical for a solid and healthy start to life.
Here are a few testimony tips from local leaders:
- Focus on one ask;
- State why your ask is important;
- Include a short, personal story; and
- Bring kids!
As we wrapped up, everyone raised their hands high, pledging to send a postcard for Safe Routes to School, and encouraged their friends to do so as well. In total, the crowd pledged over 300 postcards that night! Mike walked away from the evening with new-found confidence in providing public testimony, a handful of postcards, and a new scooter—thanks to a generous donation from Rogue Wheels!
We can’t wait for more Safe Routes to School town hall meetings in Klamath Falls and Salem. You can participate, too, by making a postcard pledge today. You can also attend an upcoming event in your community!
Postcard drop off locations in Seaside include:
- Beach Books, 616 Broadway St.
- NW Kite Shop, 19 Broadway St.
Thanks to our other partners for making this evening a success: North West Transportation Options and The Street Trust, with support from Seaside School District. More photos here!