38 replies to this topic

[cw68]

Howdy all. International Walk (and Bike) to School Day is going to be held on Weds, October 7, 2009. For the past three years I've organized Natoma Station's participation in the event and am going to again this year. We get hundred and hundreds of kids to get out of the car this day and hit the payment on foot (or wheel) instead.

If anyone reading this is able to donate any tchotchkes to give away via a raffle to those kids who participate, please PM me.

If you're interested in getting your school participate, if they don't already, PM me and I'll help you get set up.

Thanks!

[tony]

St John Notre Dame School will also be participating in International Walk and Bike to School Day this year (for the first time). If your child(ren) attend SJNDS and you would like to help, get more information, or perhaps help a biking school bus, please let me know.

And thanks, CW, for the reminder!

Tony

[supermom]

Howdy all. International Walk (and Bike) to School Day is going to be held on Weds, October 7, 2009. For the past three years I've organized Natoma Station's participation in the event and am going to again this year. We get hundred and hundreds of kids to get out of the car this day and hit the payment on foot (or wheel) instead.

If anyone reading this is able to donate any tchotchkes to give away via a raffle to those kids who participate, please PM me.

If you're interested in getting your school participate, if they don't already, PM me and I'll help you get set up.

Thanks!

????

[curiousity]

????

my thoughts exactly

so I googled it

wiki says:

Tchotchke—originally from a Slavic word for "toys" (Polish cacka, tsatsca; Russian цацки, tsatsci)—adapted to Yiddish טשאַטשקע tshatshke, "trinket", are small toys, gewgaws, knickknacks, baubles, trinkets, or kitsch. The term has a connotation of worthlessness or disposability, as well as tackiness, and was long used in the Jewish-American community and in the regional speech of New York City.

The word may also refer to swag, in the sense of the logo pens, keyfobs, and other promotional freebies dispensed at trade shows, conventions, and similar large events. Also, stores that sell cheap souvenirs in tourist areas like Times Square and Venice Beach are sometimes called "tchotchke shops."

Learn something new every day

[supermom]

hmmm-thanks--I actually thought it was a typo.

really hate when people give that stuff to the kids--just more trash that ends up in the bottom of their toy box-that I'm stuck throing in the dumpster once a year.

Which reminds me..........

[curiousity]

hmmm-thanks--I actually thought it was a typo.

really hate when people give that stuff to the kids--just more trash that ends up in the bottom of their toy box-that I'm stuck throing in the dumpster once a year.

Which reminds me..........

I hear ya...

it's just another part of our "throw away" society

[cw68]

hmmm-thanks--I actually thought it was a typo.

really hate when people give that stuff to the kids--just more trash that ends up in the bottom of their toy box-that I'm stuck throing in the dumpster once a year.

Which reminds me..........

I'm not looking for little plastic toys, but tchotchkes as in water bottles, pencils, other school supplies, etc. They can be things that don't get thrown away like a Pedicab ride to school (thanks FABA/Tony!), pizza party for a class, free subscription (thanks Backseat Guardian!), gift certificates to your place of business, etc. It is often logo-stuff because businesses get advertising in exchange.

Part of our throw-away society is linked to the "what do I get?" mentality. More times than not, when I mention this event to parents, their first reaction is "what does my kid get out of it?" and they don't mean the plentiful benefits of walking to school* - they mean stuff.

* Why walk to school? Walking to school is well worth it! Below are just some of the reasons:
S = SAFETY TRAINING
Walking regularly with a child from a young age enables them to develop life skills; preparing children with road safety and personal awareness skills.
C = CONGESTION reduction
Fewer cars on our roads is good for the environment and local communities; fewer cars at the school can make it safer for pupils making their way to and from school.
H = HEALTH benefits
Walking to and from school allows adults and children to incorporate physical activity into their daily routines.
O = ON the ball at school
Pupils who walk to school arrive wide awake and are therefore more prepared for the school day ahead. (Studies show they learn better, too.)
O = OUR fun and friendship
Friends and family can walk to and from school together and enjoy some quality time.
L = LEARNING for life
Walking regularly enables a child to become more familiar with their surroundings and provides them with the opportunity to learn about the weather and changing seasons first hand.

[curiousity]

I'm not looking for little plastic toys, but tchotchkes as in water bottles, pencils, other school supplies, etc. They can be things that don't get thrown away like a Pedicab ride to school (thanks FABA/Tony!), pizza party for a class, free subscription (thanks Backseat Guardian!), gift certificates to your place of business, etc. It is often logo-stuff because businesses get advertising in exchange.

Part of our throw-away society is linked to the "what do I get?" mentality. More times than not, when I mention this event to parents, their first reaction is "what does my kid get out of it?" and they don't mean the plentiful benefits of walking to school* - they mean stuff.

Interesting, I didn't see "water bottles, pencils, other school supplies," in the definition of tchotchkes, more than one website though used words like "toys, knickknacks, baubles, & trinkets". You may want to be more specific in what you are looking for instead of throwing out foreign language words that obviously at least two of us on this forum had no clue what you meant. If I wasn't the curious type, I wouldn't have even bothered to research for a meaning, but after finding one, I wouldn't have thought "Oh, CW means school supplies, like pencils, erasers, and stuff".

[cw68]

Interesting, I didn't see "water bottles, pencils, other school supplies," in the definition of tchotchkes, more than one website though used words like "toys, knickknacks, baubles, & trinkets". You may want to be more specific in what you are looking for instead of throwing out foreign language words that obviously at least two of us on this forum had no clue what you meant. If I wasn't the curious type, I wouldn't have even bothered to research for a meaning, but after finding one, I wouldn't have thought "Oh, CW means school supplies, like pencils, erasers, and stuff".

Let me make this more generic then: If you want to donate anything (time or materials), please PM me. In my professional life, tchotchkes is usually used for giveaways of all kinds, not just junk.

[SandPebble]

Any other schools in Folsom participating? Great job CW for organizing NS's and good luck Tony with St. John's. It should be a worthwhile event for all the kids. Forget the gifts and just do it to do it.


SP

Howdy all. International Walk (and Bike) to School Day is going to be held on Weds, October 7, 2009. For the past three years I've organized Natoma Station's participation in the event and am going to again this year. We get hundred and hundreds of kids to get out of the car this day and hit the payment on foot (or wheel) instead.

If anyone reading this is able to donate any tchotchkes to give away via a raffle to those kids who participate, please PM me.

If you're interested in getting your school participate, if they don't already, PM me and I'll help you get set up.

Thanks!

[cw68]

Any other schools in Folsom participating? Great job CW for organizing NS's and good luck Tony with St. John's. It should be a worthwhile event for all the kids. Forget the gifts and just do it to do it.


SP

I'm not sure what other schools are participating this year. In past years Gallardo, Gold Ridge, Folsom Hills, Sundahl, Empire Oaks and Russell Ranch have participated. While I don't have as much available time anymore, I can help get anyone started if they are interested. That year that all of these schools were involved we had over 1200 Folsom elementary school students eschew the car that day. Great stuff!

[Robert Giacometti]

That year that all of these schools were involved we had over 1200 Folsom elementary school students eschew the car that day. Great stuff!

I wonder how many families drive their car alongside of their children as they ride their bike to school?

I wonder how many parents stop using public transportation on this day so they have their vehicle available to pick up their kids if need be?

I wonder how many trips to school parents take to deliver books/backpacks/lunches because they don't want their kids to ride with them on their bikes?

I wonder how many extra trips parents make to schools from work, that they normally don't make, to pick up their kids bike?

I wonder how many car pools are suspended this day?

I wonder how many times parents drive to school during the day to attend any programs regarding biking?

I wonder how many miles the dignitarys (School Board, Administration, City Council, Police & Fire) drive to visit schools to watch the kids riding to schools or to participate in a program?

At the end of the day, I suspect that there are MORE miles driven because of National Bike to School Day than any normal day.

[cw68]

I wonder how many families drive their car alongside of their children as they ride their bike to school?

I wonder how many parents stop using public transportation on this day so they have their vehicle available to pick up their kids if need be?

I wonder how many trips to school parents take to deliver books/backpacks/lunches because they don't want their kids to ride with them on their bikes?

I wonder how many extra trips parents make to schools from work, that they normally don't make, to pick up their kids bike?

I wonder how many car pools are suspended this day?

I wonder how many times parents drive to school during the day to attend any programs regarding biking?

I wonder how many miles the dignitarys (School Board, Administration, City Council, Police & Fire) drive to visit schools to watch the kids riding to schools or to participate in a program?

At the end of the day, I suspect that there are MORE miles driven because of National Bike to School Day than any normal day.

You're such an optimist, Robert. And thanks for the support.

• St John's is having two of the three drop-off lanes reserved for carpools that day, I am considering seeing if the school would allow our drop-off lane to give carpools priority or something along those lines.
• To my knowledge, no school board, administration or city council people attended any events. The police or fire did show up two years for mine.
• I don't know of any parents at NSE who drove their kids' stuff to school for their kids. Not a single one.
• I don't know what you're talking about regarding parents NOT using public transporation that day. If a parent wants their car available to pick up their child during the day, it's not going to matter one whit HOW said kid got to school.

All that said, as someone who lived for years just a few houses from NSE I can tell you first-hand that the traffic was drastically reduced. Not just in the eyes of the person who organized it (me) but thru the eyes of numerous neighbors who would ask me (not knowing that I was involved) what was going on at NSE that day because there was hardly any traffic compared to normal.

Rather the showcased to a lot of people how easy and enjoyable walking/biking to school actually can be and it gave the opportunity to remind people of the multiple benefits non-motorized modes of transportation to school can bring.

ps - I wonder sometimes if you really want people or projects to succeed or bring benefit because you spend an awful lot of time chopping them down or predicting their doom...

[Robert Giacometti]

You're such an optimist, Robert. And thanks for the support.

• St John's is having two of the three drop-off lanes reserved for carpools that day, I am considering seeing if the school would allow our drop-off lane to give carpools priority or something along those lines.
• To my knowledge, no school board, administration or city council people attended any events. The police or fire did show up two years for mine.
• I don't know of any parents at NSE who drove their kids' stuff to school for their kids. Not a single one.
• I don't know what you're talking about regarding parents NOT using public transporation that day. If a parent wants their car available to pick up their child during the day, it's not going to matter one whit HOW said kid got to school.

All that said, as someone who lived for years just a few houses from NSE I can tell you first-hand that the traffic was drastically reduced. Not just in the eyes of the person who organized it (me) but thru the eyes of numerous neighbors who would ask me (not knowing that I was involved) what was going on at NSE that day because there was hardly any traffic compared to normal.

Rather the showcased to a lot of people how easy and enjoyable walking/biking to school actually can be and it gave the opportunity to remind people of the multiple benefits non-motorized modes of transportation to school can bring.

ps - I wonder sometimes if you really want people or projects to succeed or bring benefit because you spend an awful lot of time chopping them down or predicting their doom...

You left out that I'm unpatriotic!

What is wrong with questioning the legitimacy of someones claims about the results of any program?

This is so typical of almost any issue in our country today, someone questions the legitimacy and immediately they get lables applied and castigated for questioning the effectiveness.

I do know someone who drove their vehicle to work instead of taking light rail and made multiple trips to and from school because of the Ride Your Bikes to School Day. They ended up driving more miles than they normally do on this day.

I'm openminded enough to be willing to look at the big picture. When you made the claim that 1200 students eschewed the car that day, that may be correct, but does it really reflect how many car trips or miles driven were eliminated? If you added up and totaled all the car trips that were involved in planning, gathering supplies, people taking pictures of their kids, running musical instruments to class, etc, etc, etc ,etc, and compare that number to the number of car trips and miles driven for a normal day, where is the harm in doing an unbiased evaluation of the success of this componet of the program?

We can no longer afford to do things because they make us feel good, while they add more to the burdens of environment and budgets deficits! We need to be willing to accept the fact that accuracy is more important than style, if not we are doing more harm than good.

[cw68]

You left out that I'm unpatriotic!

What is wrong with questioning the legitimacy of someones claims about the results of any program?

This is so typical of almost any issue in our country today, someone questions the legitimacy and immediately they get lables applied and castigated for questioning the effectiveness.

I do know someone who drove their vehicle to work instead of taking light rail and made multiple trips to and from school because of the Ride Your Bikes to School Day. They ended up driving more miles than they normally do on this day.

I'm openminded enough to be willing to look at the big picture. When you made the claim that 1200 students eschewed the car that day, that may be correct, but does it really reflect how many car trips or miles driven were eliminated? If you added up and totaled all the car trips that were involved in planning, gathering supplies, people taking pictures of their kids, running musical instruments to class, etc, etc, etc ,etc, and compare that number to the number of car trips and miles driven for a normal day, where is the harm in doing an unbiased evaluation of the success of this componet of the program?

We can no longer afford to do things because they make us feel good, while they add more to the burdens of environment and budgets deficits! We need to be willing to accept the fact that accuracy is more important than style, if not we are doing more harm than good.

Robert, what do you mean we can no longer afford to do things because they make us feel good? I guarantee this day in the end nets more benefits than positives and not because there isn't any "work" (loosely defined for this purpose) involved. This doesn't affect any deficits because how I do this day doesn't cost diddly. A few companies give us stickers and coffee and get free advertising in return. A few parents (a whopping 13 for NSE) give their time. I think I bought a roll of raffle tickets and some envelopes. The PTA paid for a pizza party. Sound the alarms.

Instead of focusing on the work involved, focus on the benefits. Better behaved kids at schools, stronger communities, safer school campuses. Maybe even healthier Americans, which we so need because our collective large size is going to be (and is already) a huge drag on our society and economy.