*Agenda: January 26, 2008

100 Founding Members
2:00 – 5:00
Upland Community Center Room #103
Alvernia College, Reading, PA
Facilitator: Michele Barrett

1. Introductions
2. Report of Activity
3. Nominations for Board
4. Mission, Vision, Value, Goals
5. Bylaws – review and acceptance
6. Legal Incorporation Status and Progress, Jeremy
7. Financial Status and Progress
   Giftworks, Pat Weaver of Missions Research
8. Projects: rank and rate
9. Action Teams: assign and break off (strategy)
10. Next Steps for Action Teams (report action plan)
11. Establish Meeting Schedule/Place
12. Adjourn

*subject to revision if necessary

Please feel free to bring your own refreshments with you.

200 Letters Campaign

Everyone is a Pedestrian.

Our goal is to have 200 letters reach the offices of those making decisions and writing policies -- to specifically request Complete Streets and Safe Routes to School in Berks County. Deadline: March 1, 2008. It is best to email AND to fax a letter to the men listed below:

STATE SENATOR MICHAEL O'PAKE
STATE REPRESENTATIVE SAMUEL ROHRER
STATE REPRESENTATIVE DAVID R. KESSLER
U.S. CONGRESSMAN JAMES GERLACH
U.S. SENATOR ROBERT CASEY
U.S. SENATOR ARLEN SPECTER

Feel free to use any part or all of the form letter provided:

Dear ____________:

Please work with WalkBikeBerks to create safer streets for all users in Berks County, PA. We are at a critical point where our streets will undergo significant changes in the months and years to come as we grow and develop as a county. Please support us in new policies and funding. In addition, I would ask that you contact PennDOT on our behalf to express your concern for our safety and quality of life. Ask PennDOT to retrain their engineers to create streets for all users, making people (not cars) their first priority in traffic design.

WalkBikeBerks seeks to ensure that our streets will be Complete Streets and that our county can rely on Safe Routes to School. We want our communities safe for all users, even the most vulnerable citizens -- children, elderly, poor, and disabled. We want those people who cannot or do not drive (who represent more than 30% of the total population) to be able to move about freely and independently. We also want to reduce our own dependence on automobiles to travel from our homes to amenities in our neighborhoods. We want cleaner air, healthier children, and safer streets. We also want a better quality of life.

I am asking that you do whatever you are able to ensure that all land use policies and development projects that come to Berks County adhere to the PennDOT Strike Off Letter SOL 432-0702 and coincide with the Berks County Greenway, Parks and Recreation Plan, the Berks County Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, and the Federal Highway Administration's Bicycle and Pedestrian guidelines. Berks County can have thriving, vibrant, walkable communities, if we choose to make them so. Please make it a priority to Complete The Streets of Berks County.

Thank you.

Sincerely,

Pedestrians and Cyclists Needed

BOARD VACANCIES

Exeter Township has a vacancy on the Historical Commission and the alternate position on the UCC Appeals Board. Anyone interested in serving on either board should send a letter of interest and resume to:

Troy Bingaman - Manager
Exeter Township
4975 DeMoss Rd
Reading, PA 19606

Please call 610-779-5660 for any questions you may have.

Mark Fenton

Save the Date!

Creating Connections between Trails and Health Workshop

Tuesday, March 4th
8:30AM – 3:00 PM

Penn State Great Valley Campus, Malvern , PA
This workshop will bring together trail advocates, planners and managers, health and planning professional and physical activity promoters for the first time ever in the Delaware Valley to share information and foster collaboration.

KEYNOTE SPEAKER: MARK FENTON
Mark is a nationally recognized transportation engineer and public health consultant, author, and pedestrian and bicycle advocate. An inspiring and entertaining presenter, he will provide an overview of the health issues facing most communities and address how trails and recreation fit into the nationwide focus on policy and environmental change.

SESSIONS:

Getting Started Working with the Health Community
Trail Basics for Health Professionals
Who Are We Building These Trails for Anyway?
Beyond the Basics: Trail Planning, Zoning and Working with Developers
Trail Lessons Learned
Trail Management and Low-Maintenance Solutions

This workshop is being offer by the following partners:
Activate Chester County
Bucks County Planning Commission
Chester County Planning Commission
Delaware County Planning Department
Delaware Valley Regional Planning Commission
Fairmount Park Commission
Montgomery County Parks and Heritage Services
Montgomery County Planning Commission
National Park Service
PA Department of Conservation and Natural Resources (DCNR)
PA East Coast Greenway Alliance
PA Recreation and Parks Society (PRPS)
Schuylkill River Greenway Association
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia

We encourage you to forward this announcement to others that may be interested. If you have any questions, please contact:
Carolyn Wallis, DCNR at (215) 560-1182, cwallis@state.pa.us
or Jody Giardina, YMCA of the Brandywine Valley at (610) 643-9622 x102, jgiardina@YMCABWV.org.

October 2008

Ideally, each district in Berks County could participate in this year's annual International Walk to School Day. Together we can bring awareness to the issues related to the safety and health of our children by encouraging our school districts to implement Safe Routes to School. Let's RALLY in 2008 and work for EVERY district to participate in International Walk to School Day:

http://www.walktoschool.org/

100 Founding Members

Saturday, January 26
2:00 -- 5:00
Alvernia College
Upland Community Center Room (#103)
540 Upland Avenue, Reading

Directions
From Route 10, turn on Upland Avenue and go 4 blocks, The Upland Center will be on your left.
From Lancaster Avenue, turn right going towards Reading or turn left coming from Reading on Noble Street. At Upland Street, turn left and the Upland Center will be on your right.

Please join us as we formalize our mission, goals, and programs to Complete the Streets for Berks County.

Please call 610-779-9702 or email walkbikeberks@yahoo.com to RSVP.

To join our county-wide conversation: walkbikeberks-subscribe@yahoogroups.com.

Take Steps to Lose Weight

Walking can not only reduce your body weight and increase your heart rate, but it can "heal" your brain? Take a look at this Reading Eagle article on the importance of just taking a walk through your own neighborhood.

http://readingeagle.com/article.aspx?id=29965