Iowa Bike Blog

Des Moines Bike Summit Today

2009-07-14T07:58:00.000-07:00

Today is the Des Moines Bike Summit. Today is the day for the community to lend public input to the bike planning process. Meetings are at noon & 5:30 at the Des Moines Central Library meeting room.

www.dmbikeplan.com

Please take the Louis & Clark Trail Survey https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Fm_2frbBAeT9AHl1_2bs9AkbWQ_3d_3d

2009-07-13T14:24:00.001-07:00

Please take the Louis & Clark Trail Survey at https://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=Fm_2frbBAeT9AHl1_2bs9AkbWQ_3d_3d

Le Mars, Iowa Safe Routes to School Program is Pedaling Foward!!

2009-07-13T13:32:00.001-07:00

Read about how Le Mars, Iowa has recieved Safe Routes to School funding to make safer routes to their schools for the children in their community. Get a snapshot of how they have been a huge success at implementing their plans with bike lanes and paths along their streets! Go Le Mars!

Follow this link to read the article:

http://www.lemarssentinel.com/story/1553431.html7/9

Radio Iowa's Iowa Crossing Guard Program Article

2009-07-13T13:11:00.001-07:00

Follow the link below to the Radio Iowa website and read about the upcoming Iowa Crossing Guard Program the Iowa Safe Routes to School program is developing.

http://www.radioiowa.com/gestalt/go.cfm?objectid=3C70E620-5056-B82A-37B5CA7D1FD5C50A

Route Wayfinding in Washington County

2009-07-07T06:23:00.000-07:00

The Washington County Trails group have posted bike route signs on road routes around Washington. The signs identify popular bicycling connections on rural roadways.

The signs also have a distance component as shown in the sign pictured. Upon leaving Riverside, a rider encounters this sign showing 17 miles to Washington. They are also used in combination with Share The Road signs along the route.

Some of the busier roads do not have connecting signs, but there is enough other signs to assist with wayfinding to let you know you are on track.

Johnson County Considering Event Permit for Bikes

2009-07-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

The County Board of Supervisors is considering requiring permits, insurance, etc. for organized bicycle rides. The item has been placed in the Johnson County Trails Advisory Committee agenda for July 7, 2009, 4:30 PM, JC Administration Building.

As you may know other counties have considered this for rides as small as ten people that were advertised by even email (yes this would have meant club rides, team rides, and bike shop rides) and ultimately rejected the idea. It was estimated that securing insurance could cost several hundred dollars per ride -- times that by all the rides in the county each week and you start to see the problem. There is also the matter of state law on access to roads and the constitution.

It may be a good idea to get some people organized before this idea gets legs. You can reach the County Board here:

http://www.johnson-county.com/supervisors/index.shtml

All the details are below in the minutes.

Iowa City Announces Bike Improvements

2009-07-01T09:18:00.000-07:00

Johnson County residents and bicycling enthusiasts are invited to join Iowa City Mayor Regenia Bailey on Thursday, July 2nd at 5:15 p.m. in College Green Park to see the most recent improvements to the local bicycle network – shared lane arrows, or “sharrows.”

In an effort to become more bicycle-friendly, some Johnson County communities are installing new sharrow pavement markings and bike lanes on streets this summer. The sharrows, which are an alternative to bike lanes, can be found on 5th Street in Coralville, and on Market, Jefferson, and College Streets in Iowa City, beginning this week. Bike lanes will be painted on segments of Market and Jefferson Streets.

A sharrow does not demarcate a separate bicycle lane, but it does direct the bicyclist to travel in the proper lane position to avoid being hit by opening doors of parked cars. The sharrow markings also remind roadway users where the travel lane is too narrow to be safely shared side-by-side by cyclists and passing motorists.

Many cyclists know that when there is no bike lane present, cyclists are expected to ride on the right. Some sharrows and bike lanes, however, are located in the left lane. Why? In a word, safety:

1. Bicycle lanes and sharrows on the left side of some one-way streets are gaining popularity to help reduce the number of bicyclists being struck by opening car doors;
2. This location removes bicyclists from the path of buses pulling into bus stops;
3. The left curb lane is most clear of snow on streets where vehicles park along the right curb; and
4. The design helps increase visibility, as the rear-right blind spot is eliminated and drivers can more easily see a bicyclist in the driver’s side mirror.

For more information on sharrows and bike lanes or other improvements to the local bicycling network, contact Kristopher Ackerson, JCCOG Assistant Transportation Planner, at 319.356.5247.

Iowa Crossing Guard Program

2009-07-01T09:07:00.000-07:00

Below is the link to today's (July 1st) Iowa City Press-Citizen article regarding the Iowa School Crossing Guard Program. If your schools guards want a more consistent and thorough training there is something coming! Check it out and enjoy!

http://www.press-citizen.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2009907010311

DMBikePlan.com and Greaterthangoods.com

2009-06-30T14:50:00.000-07:00

Two important websites of note for the biking community this week.

http://www.DMBikePlan.com
We have launched the URL of the Des Moines Bicycle Plan this week. As of now, it points to the section of the Iowa Bicycle Coalition's website. We will post information, maps, slides, and have a webform for comments and feedback. Keep an eye on this website for updates. Most of all, remember to attend the Des Moines Bike Summit on July 14 at the Central Library. 12:00 & 5:30 meetings to get your input on the shape of the Des Moines Bike Plan.

http://www.GreaterThanGoods.com
Our friends at Greater Than Goods are selling T-shirts to benefit the Iowa Bicycle Coalition. Check out the Another Way to Roll section. Fantastic designs and a great group of people to work with.

Clinton, Iowa Safety Town

2009-06-25T09:11:00.000-07:00

Clinton, Iowa has the right idea regarding safety education for young children. During the past two weeks in June, children that are pre-kindergarten, ages 4 and 5, meet for two hours every weekday for a safety education lesson. These lessons include traffic light and safe crossing, water safety, stranger danger, fire safety, emergency reporting, and bicycle safety. This program reaches approximately 150 students and utilizes a portable plywood mini Clinton with streets, stop signs and lights. More pictures from this program can be found on the Iowa Safe Routes facebook group, Join it and check them out!

Free Bike Helmets at Polk County Jail

2009-06-24T07:22:00.001-07:00

WHEN: June 29, at 1:30 pm
WHERE: Polk County Jail

With the July 4 holiday quickly approaching, the number of bicyclists on Iowa’s roadways and trails is expected to increase. The Polk County Sheriff’s Office and Iowa Health Systems want to emphasize the importance of bicycle safety. Therefore, Iowa Health Systems will be providing 50 free children’s bicycle helmets for an event which will be held at the Polk County Jail on Monday, June 29, at 1:30 pm.

The helmets are designed to fit children between the ages of 2 and 13 years. With the help of trained staff we will ensure that each helmet properly fits the child who will be wearing it. For this reason, you will need to bring your child with you.

Bike helmets will be given on a first-come, first-served basis and we must be confident that all of the 50 helmets fit properly. Be one of the first to arrive because there will be a limited number of each size.

Contact: Jana Rooker, Deputy Sheriff
E-mail: jana.rooker@polkcountyiowa.gov
Office: (515) 323-5459

Congress Releases Transportation Bill

2009-06-23T09:09:00.000-07:00

New Bill strong on Bicycle and Pedestrian Policy

On Monday, June 22, 2009, Chairman James L. Oberstar, Rep. John Mica, and the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee introduced the committee print of the next Surface Transportation Authorization Act of 2009.

We are very encouraged by many of the elements contained within the bill, including: creating the Office of Livability, improving data and research, establishing the US Bike Route System, and emphasizing Comprehensive Street Design. In addition, our initial impression is that the reforms to the Surface Transportation Program funding and the sub-allocation of Transportation Enhancement funds may provide greater opportunities for bicycling and walking. We believe these changes will move us towards a transformative bill.

While the bill is not perfect, we are working and will be meeting with committee staff to tweak some of the priority improvements we've identified.

We will send a detailed analysis after sub committee hearing tomorrow. (11:00 am Wednesday. The webcast should be available at transportation.house.gov. )

...but where's the money going?

We do still have some concerns and areas where the bill can be strengthened including mode specific goals for safety funds, applying Comprehensive Street Design Principles more widely, and explicitly including bicycle and pedestrian projects within the Metro Mobility and Access Program.

The biggest hole though is that there are no funding levels in the bill. The Committee is expecting to mark up the bill in late July, and hopes to have better information on funding levels then.

This will be a critical time to weigh in, and push for additional language for bicycle and pedestrian provisions.

RAGBRAI Math Lessons

2009-06-16T11:08:00.000-07:00

A middle school math teacher, John Sheffield from New York state has developed a fun and engaging math lesson that is centered around RAGBRAI! For the past 3 years John and his wife have participated in RAGRAI. He decided to spice up his math lesson and include the historical bike ride in Iowa for teaching not only math, but biking basics to his students. Go and read his article at the RAGBRAI website: http://ragbrai.com/index.php/2009/06/16/new-york-teacher-has-a-ragbrai-lesson-plan/

Stop Bike Theft, read more at http://IowaBicycleCoalition.org

2009-06-15T13:50:00.000-07:00

This morning, we received reports of three stolen bicycles. Now is a good time to talk about bike security.

The Neista Brothers demonstrate how quickly a bike can be stolen. They stole their own bikes in New York City during rush hour. Only one person gave them notice and he gave them tips on how to break the lock. During one instance, they used a hacksaw to cut the lock. It took 8 minutes of sawing and no bystander showed any concern. See Bike Thief at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J7zb8YXrmIA

Hal from New York's Bike Kitchen takes as tour with Street Films producer Kerri and grades how well people lock their bikes. There have been three installments in this series. http://www.streetfilms.org/archives/hal-and-kerri-grade-your-bike-locking/

Your heart just goes out to someone who gets their bike stolen. There is a whole channel on YouTube of interviews of people who had their bikes stolen. My favorite is Rachel. She had her bike stolen, but found it locked to another rack. She got another lock, secured it to the rack and left a note telling the thief they had been caught and to take their lock and walk home. http://www.youtube.com/user/someonestolemybike

Tips: Lock your frame and wheels to the bike rack. The best method is to use two different types of locks, because the thief will need two different tools. Be sure quick releases are secured with your lock, including seat posts and wheels. Put your information on a note inside your seattube and jot down your serial number at home. If you put it in a ziplock baggie and store it in your freezer, you won't lose it.

Roosevelt Elementary School Closing in Iowa City

2009-06-12T09:42:00.000-07:00

On June 9th, the Iowa City School Board voted to close one of their neighborhood schools, Roosevelt Elementary, before the 2010-2011 school year. The 78 year old school, according to the Superintendent Lane Plugge, would require $5.1 million in repairs and additions. Roosevelt also has 57% of students on free or reduced-price lunch rate. The School board cited the reasons for supporting the plan as small classrooms, expensive renovations and increasing educational equity. The plan is to build a new school at the "The Crossings" in Iowa City. "The Crossings" is an area on the outskirts of Iowa City. There is hope for housing growth to fill in the space around the new school location.

When deciding to either renovate or build a new school there are a few things to consider. Initial cost to renovate vs. build a new facility. The cost doesn't always mean money, but cost to the neighborhood. Questions that should be asked, "How immediate does action need to be taken?" and "Will the neighborhood lose or gain from the renovation and/or new school?". Maintaining costs for renovating vs. new facility should be debated. There are maintenance costs and not just to the facility but linked school expences such as busing and school transportation. Questions that need to be answered at this point should be "Which neighborhoods will the students come from" and "How will students get to the school" During the 2006-07 school year Iowa spent over $100,000,000.00 on busing students to schools. On average one bus cost $17,500 for the 2006-07 school year. The cost of busing is a huge expense and can be decreased if the correct steps are taken to make the school more walkable or bikeable.

Updates on the National Transportation Bill

2009-06-11T08:06:00.000-07:00

1. HR 2724 the National Transportation Objectives bill calls for the tripling of biking, walking, and transit. The Alliance, America Bikes, and the League have all signed on to support this bill and encourage you to do so as your own organizations. For details or to sign on, please contact John at jkrieger@pirg.org

2. Working with our partners at Transportation for America (T4), we encourage each of you to reach out now to all media in your area to raise our priorities for biking, walking, and transit improvements in the next transportation bill and establish yourself as a expert/contact for the media. Media Telebriefings (Telephone+ Briefing) are the idea to get groups who are working on the national Transportation Bill (or local issues affected by this bill) and the reporters who cover transportation (print, broadcast, online/new media) onto the same phone call. The interested groups will talk about what they hope to see in the bill, what they've been working on, and how aspects of the bill affect local constituencies. Contact information will be shared, and when those same reporters have a 12 hour filing deadline after the Transportation Bill is released, hopefully they will remember the issues from this telebriefing, and also call the same spokespeople for comment on the legislation. This will help us shape the debate from the outset. See below for state contacts and connect with them to be included in any preplanned telebriefings....or set up your own if there isn’t a lead listed below for your area.

3. T4 is also are planning a grassroots “call-in day” to give a gigantic grassroots push for transportation reform. The e-advocacy / congressional call-in campaign will work through two emails T4 is planning. Each group will have final edit for their own constituency. America Bikes will send an analysis on bike / ped issues and work with T4 to include bike / ped as part of their ask. T4 will send out a template just prior to the release of the T-bill with a message based on our latest intel (something like "no new money without reform" or "Greater funding for multi-modal networks", it will all depend on how the bill is shaping up). This first email will request that the recipient send a message of their own to their representative echoing our request. The second email will come out on the day of the T-bill release, and it will ask the recipient to call their congressperson's district office concerning some of the issues in the T-bill (again, we don't know what these will be, but you will have final say in what goes out to your members). If you are interested in working on E-advocacy/National Call-in Day, please notify Jeremy@PeoplePoweredMovement.org as he will be point of contact.

4. For additional information on S.1156, the Safe Routes to School Reauthorization Bill, please go to www.SafeRoutesPartnership.org. There you will find more info on the bill, an alert template you can send to your members to ask them to contact their Senators, a list of supporting organizations and more.

New bike commuter at health fair with success story; http://iowabicyclecoalition.org

2009-06-11T07:06:00.001-07:00

I had the opportunity to work at the CDS Global Health Fair. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition was invited to hand out safety materials and talk about bicycling.

The display area was in a hallway with tables on each side. There were various displays from the Early Defibrillation group to a HyVee Dietitian. The Coalition's booth was sandwiched in the middle.

The employees marched down the hall and visited every one of the booths. You could put the employees into a couple of categories. Some people took one of everything on the table. Some people would take information "for the grandkids". Some would say "I haven't been a on a bike since I was 18."

Then the success story comes through the line. You could tell she was doing something special because her friends would look and say, "oh, here is the booth for you, the bicyclists."

This young woman bought a new bike this spring and has been riding about 3 miles to work since May. She loves it and must tell her friends that she loves it.

There is a fitness center at work, so showers are available. She had a route that worked for her, but hill on the way home was challenging. Her only complaint is at the end of the day, she gets tired and still has to bike home.

I asked how the bike parking was which she responded, not enough. We found out later the business was getting new bike racks so that problem is being solved.

It's inspiring to find that person who gives bicycling a try and gets hooked on it. It's not a fitness thing, but a fun thing.

40 days until RAGBRAI, RASH, TOMRV, BRAMCO, & TdRaccoon this weekend.

2009-06-08T08:42:00.000-07:00

It's just 40 days until RAGBRAI, the big ride across Iowa. This weekend is also TOMRV (Tour of the Mississippi River Valley), RASH Ride (Independence), Tour de Raccoon (Panora), and BRAMCO (Bike Ride Around Madison County). Whew! There is a lot going on. You can get the full ride schedule at www.bikeiowa.com.

The summer weather is getting really nice, so start expecting a lot more bicyclists to be out on the roads. In addition to all these fine events, people are putting in training miles for the great big bike ride in July.

We usually see a reduction in crashes during this time of year because there are so many cyclists, motorists are keenly aware of sharing the road.

Sharing the road means it is best to wait until it is safe to pass bikes. Last week, there was a letter in the Cedar Rapids Gazette which the author stated the bike almost caused a collision because the motorist had to pass when there was on-coming traffic. It is the overtaking vehicles responsibility not the overtaken.

Bicyclists are not void of responsibility and courtesy. Ride with the flow of traffic, use hand signals, and stop at stop sign to meet your legal responsibilities. Staying off sidewalks not meant for bikes, riding single file when traffic is heavy, and paying attention to the task of driving your bike is courteous.

Motorist who operate safely will reduce injuries and fatalities. Properly worn helmets can reduce head injuries in case of crashes. But avoiding the crash is the first line of defense. Riding defensively and according to traffic laws is every bicyclists responsibility.

Be safe out there, because there is a lot of riding to do.

Video Features Work of Iowa Bicycle Coalition http://IowaBicycleCoalition.org

2009-06-05T14:25:00.001-07:00

2009 James L. Oberstar Award Applications being Accepted!!

2009-06-05T09:21:00.000-07:00

CHAPEL HILL — The National Center for Safe Routes to School is now accepting applications for the 2009 James L. Oberstar Safe Routes to School Award. The deadline for applications is July 15, 2009. To access the award application and criteria, please visit www.saferoutesinfo.org/oberstar.

The Oberstar Award is given annually by the National Center for Safe Routes to School to an exemplary Safe Routes to School program in the United States. The 2009 Oberstar Award will recognize outstanding achievement by a school or community in conducting a SRTS program that benefited from the Federal SRTS funding awarded by its State. The Award specifically will recognize a school with a Safe Routes to School program that has achieved success while overcoming challenges in implementing and/or sustaining the program.

**Article provided by the National Center for Safe Routes to School, www.saferoutesinfo.org

Register for Walk to School Day October 7th, 2009!!

2009-06-05T09:15:00.000-07:00

CHAPEL HILL, NC —Registration is open for 2009 Walk to School Day, an international event where communities from more than 40 countries join together to walk and bicycle to school. Walk to School Day is October 7, 2009.

To register a Walk to School event, please visit www.walktoschool.org/register. Registration is free and available to individuals or organizations holding an event in the U.S. Registered schools will be displayed on an interactive map on the U.S. Walk to School Web site (www.walktoschool.org), where neighboring communities, media and other organizations will be able to view participating schools.

By registering, Walk to School organizers gain access to a variety of downloadable materials, including certificates, templates for printing stickers and a frequent walker punch card. Registrants can also subscribe to a weekly Walk to School e-newsletter with tips and resources on holding a Walk to School event.

For more information, please contact Raquel Rivas, National Center for Safe Routes to School, (919)962-5835, rivas@hsrc.unc.edu.

**Article provided by The National Center for Safe Routes to School, www.saferoutesinfo.org

Cuts proposed for Safe Routes To School and Transportation Enhancement funding. http://IowaBicycleCoalition.org

2009-06-04T12:33:00.000-07:00

The latest here in Washington is an update on the timing of the Transportation Bill and attacks on biking and walking programs.

First, we have been hearing that the Transportation Bill was likely to be out in about a week, but our newest intelligence is that it will be later. The Transportation and Infrastructure Committee will be releasing some white papers on the bill in the next few weeks with a related press conference highlighting key points. It is still possible that a bill will be out through a sub committee this month, but Majority Leader Hoyer has stated that the transportation bill will not hit the floor before the July 4th recess. And on the Senate side, word is still pessimistic that there will even be a bill in 2009.

The second bit is that the House Republican leadership is unfortunately taking the position that all funding for Transportation Enhancements, Safe Routes to School, and non-motorized transportation projects should be totally eliminated, saying that these projects are more appropriately funded by state and local governments. We are reaching out to Ohio and Virginia advocates (and encourage you to reach out to any contacts, friends or family you might have) in the districts of Rep. John Boehner (OH 8th - West of Dayton) and Rep. Eric Cantor (VA 7th - Richmond and North) why biking and walking are good investments. An article is pasted below and you can also read the 22 page proposal at http://republicanwhip.house.gov/newsroom/6.4.09%20Budget%20Savings%20Proposal.pdf

Thanks!

Jeff
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _

Jeffrey Miller
President / CEO
Alliance for Biking & Walking

House Republicans offer $23B list of spending cuts
June 4, 2009 5:11 AM ET

WASHINGTON (AP) - Responding to a challenge from President Barack Obama, House GOP leaders are offering up a roster of more than $23 billion in spending cuts over the next five years.

The proposed cuts, which were to be sent to the White House on Thursday, bear little resemblance to the dramatic proposals Republicans unfurled when they took over Congress 14 years ago.

Rather than proposing, for example, the elimination of the Education Department, as they have in the past, Republicans are suggesting killing a program that pays for building sidewalks, bike paths and crossing guards as part of the Safe Routes to Schools program. That would save $183 million a year.

The Associated Press was provided an advance look at the plan, which flows from a White House tiff between Obama and House GOP Whip Eric Cantor of Virginia.

In April, Cantor praised Obama for instructing Cabinet secretaries to produce $100 million worth of commonsense cuts this year. Obama's cuts were met with a lot of derision for being merely a drop in the bucket as the government faces extraordinarily large deficits, and Cantor said the president could do a lot better. Obama told him to come up with suggestions.

The result is a list of 37 specific program cuts that would save taxpayers more than $23 billion over the next five years and more than $5 billion in the first year alone.

Some of the GOP cuts haven't been estimated by federal scorekeepers and the party has padded its own estimate by assuming $317 billion over the next five years from limiting non-defense agency budgets to inflation-adjusted levels that Obama is sure to reject.

Other proposals include:
_$72 million a year in cuts to the Agriculture Department's Market Access Program that promotes the sale of brand name products overseas.
_Saving $833 million a year by eliminating federally funded transportation "enhancements" like landscaping, preservation of historic facilities, and pedestrian and bike facilities.
_Eliminating retirement benefits for federal workers who retire before age 62 to save perhaps $267 million a year.

"What we tried to do was come up with things that really are doable," Cantor said. "It's not like we're going to propose the abolition of the Department of Education."

Still, there are plenty of political proposals, including a move to abolish the $4 million budget of a House panel on global warming and to block federal employees who are union activists from being granted time to devote all of their work time to union activities.

Copyright 2009 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

US Transportation Secretary blogs about bike safety. http://iowabicyclecoalition.org

2009-06-04T08:04:00.000-07:00

US Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood made a blog entry about bike safety on May 20th.

May is National Bike Safety Month. As this Administration works to develop environmentally-sound transportation options, making our streets more bike-friendly is high on the list. Our roads and communities must be built to allow people to get around safely outside of their cars, on bike or on foot.

But, as more people take to bicycling, that idea can only be sound when drivers and cyclists help each other share the roads safely.

Secretary LaHood has the right attitude. We are all in this together. We are all people trying to get from point A to point B for various reasons. Some may travel by bike and some may travel by car.

We all know about "defensive driving." But, bicyclists are vulnerable and exposed in a way that motorists simply are not. While we are working to improve conditions for bicyclists on the roadways, let's, please, remember the culture we've created over the last 100 years will not welcome bikes overnight. In the meantime, during National Bike Safety Month and throughout the year, I urge you to "bike defensively."

Bicyclists constantly ride with safety in mind. Our vehicles will stop in a very short distance, are highly maneuverable, and have no blind spots. Turning your head to scan and listening intently is imperative on the bike. No bicyclist wants to get into a crash.

Secretary LaHood's comments point out that bicycle have a vulnerability that cars do not have. We need car drivers to recognize this and drive responsibly. This will take time, therefore, LaHood's recommendation to bike defensively is important.

Be safe out there!

Cancer Ride on June 7th in Des Moines

2009-06-02T07:13:00.000-07:00

National Cancer Survivors Day® Observed Sunday, June 7

Des Moines, Iowa –National Cancer Survivors Day, the world’s largest cancer survivor event, is Sunday, June 7, 2009. This 22nd annual, worldwide celebration of life will be held in hundreds of communities throughout the United States, Canada, and other participating countries. Cancer survivors, caregivers, family members, friends and healthcare professionals will unite to show that life after a cancer diagnosis can be meaningful and productive.

The Greater Des Moines Area Livestrong Chapter is hosting the LIVESTRONG UNITE AGAINST

CANCER RIDE JUNE 7TH., AT 8:00AM BEGINNING IN WATERWORKS PARK, and ending at

PRINCIPAL BALL PARK, Des Moines Iowa to commemorate NCSD, and everyone is invited.

“Come learn how surviving cancer is an attitude about life and living each day to the fullest,” says Bill Throckmorton, President of the Greater Des Moines Livestrong Chapter and three year cancer survivor. “You will find our community’s event filled with joy, camaraderie, hope, compassion, faith and love as we honor cancer survivors for their strength and courage. We will also recognize the contributions of their families, friends and healthcare providers and discuss the issues of cancer survivorship.”

Here in Des Moines, Iowa, we will celebrate with the 3rd annual CITYVIEW/LIVESTRONG RIDE TO THE BALLPARK AND UNITE AGAINST CANCER.This local event is part of a worldwide

celebration coordinated by the National Cancer Survivors Day Foundation and sponsored nationally by Coping® magazine and Lilly Oncology.

Anyone living with a history of cancer, from the moment of diagnosis through the remainder of life, is a cancer survivor, according to the NCSD Foundation. Approximately 12 million Americans are now living with and beyond a diagnosis of cancer. In the United States, almost half of all men and one third of all women are expected to be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their lives.

Learning about this disease is crucial, because many forms of cancer can be prevented and most cured if detected early. Major advances in cancer prevention, early detection and treatment have resulted in longer survival, and therefore, a growing number of cancer survivors. However, a cancer diagnosis can leave a host of problems in its wake. Physical, financial and emotional

hardships often persist after diagnosis and treatment. Survivors may face many challenges such as hindered access to cancer specialists and promising new treatments, inadequate insurance, financial hardships, employment problems and psychological struggles. In light of these difficulties, our community needs to focus on improving the quality of life for cancer survivors.

“Despite the adversities, cancer survivors face each day with courage and dignity and serve as an inspiration to all of us,” says Bill Throckmorton.

More information, event agenda, and registration is at www.bikeiowa.com

OR CALL 515-720-0869

Iowa Safe Routes to School June E-Newsletter is now Available

2009-06-01T13:19:00.000-07:00

Iowa Safe Routes to School June E-Newsletter is now available for reading at the Iowa Bicycle Coalition's webpage: http://www.iowabicyclecoalition.org/saferoutes/news.

If you want to receive the newsletter to your email account, please send your request to molly@iowabicyclecoalition.org.