By Joan F. Simoneau, Community Reporter
Marlborough – For four weeks in the spring and fall, groups of young students at the Richer Elementary School start the day participating in the Walking School Bus program. Kindergarteners to fourth graders and parents meet at the 99 Restaurant parking lot on Route 20 and get ready for a healthy, happy walk to start the day.
“We meet around 8:20 to 8:30 a.m. and start walking shortly thereafter, laughing and talking as we engage in physical activity for the day,” said Julie Dalbec of the Marlborough Wellness Center, who is actively involved in the program.
To add more enjoyment to the walks, Dalbec invites “featured walkers” to join the fun, including Master Cooper of New England Martial Arts, athletes from Marlborough High School, and the mascot from the Worcester Bravehearts basketball team.
“Some of the special walkers pass out rewards when we reach the school,” said Dalbec.
The Walking School Bus is part of the Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program conducted by the Department of Transportation and MASSRides federally funded projects. Their mission is to promote healthy alternatives for children and parents in their travel to and from school while educating them on the value of the alternatives.
The program started locally in 2007 when a resident, Martin Levins, a founding member of the Marlborough Wellness Center, attended the first SRTS forum conducted by the state Department of Transportation and MASSRides at Bentley College.
“After seeing how this could benefit the children in our city I brought this program back to Marlborough and started to feature it as a healthy fun program for our students at the Wellness Center,” said Levins.
He introduced the concept to school administrators, school nurses, physical education teachers and parents who were all very receptive and helpful in promoting it.
“My first Walking School Bus started at Memorial Beach on a spring Wednesday morning in 2008,” Levins noted. “The police chief was kind enough to send a policeman on a motorbike who escorted students and parents.”
The program expanded from the Charles Jaworek Elementary School to the Francis J. Kane and Richer elementary schools to the 1Lt Charles W. Whitcomb Middle School.
“It was very successful and everyone is continuing to enjoy it and benefit from the healthy activity,” he said.
Other wellness programs introduced to the schools include Walking Lunch Bunch, Bicycle Safety Training, Mission Nutrition and Good Food Bad Food play.