Sitka hosts events on Safe Routes To School

SITKA - Steve Soenksen, the Alaska Safe Routes To School coordinator, will be in Sitka for two informational meetings Thursday and Friday.

The events are free and open to the public.

Safe Routes To School aims to increase the number of children safely walking and biking to school.

"Walking and biking to school promotes healthy kids and offers solutions to issues such as traffic congestion and pollution," said Chris Bryner, who was hired as Sitka's local Safe Routes To School project coordinator after the Sitka Health Summit. "An effort to improve walking and biking routes to and from school currently is underway in Sitka, and the community is invited to participate."

Hour-long informational meetings take place at noon and again at 7 p.m. Thursday at Harrigan Centennial Hall. The full-day training session on Friday is from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Sitka School District offices at Keet Gooshi Heen Elementary School.