Throughout the year, our blog will feature AHA volunteer stories of survival and hope. We know there are thousands of stories like these - thats why we want to say “Thanks” to all of you for giving your time and sharing your lives with us. You can’t spell CURE without U! Thank you for all you do to build healthier lives free of cardiovascular disease and stroke. YOU’RE THE CURE!

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

Illinois Volunteers Advocate for Safe Routes to School!

You’re the Cure advocates Heidi Files of Batavia, Rose Hudson of Champaign, Toya Johnson of Oswego, and Maryann Romanelli of Hinsdale, are in Washington D.C. today meeting with Illinois legislators to help save Safe Routes to School! While they are meeting face-to-face with legislations, we are also running an ad in Politico to urge our nation’s legislators to “give America’s kids the right of way to healthy life” by preserving the program in the federal transportation bill. But Heidi, Rose, Toya and Maryann need your help to make sure EVERY Member of Congress from Illinois gets the message.

Help your fellow advocates in four simple steps:

  1. Print a copy of the AHA's Safe Routes to School ad.

  2. Personalize it with your contact information.


  3. FAX it to your Members of Congress. You can find their contact information here.

  4. Report back! Let us know you sent your faxes!

The fate of Safe Routes to School, which helps communities build safe sidewalks, crosswalks, and bike paths that allow kids to be more physically active, is still up in the air. But thanks to your action and the help Heidi, Rose, Toya and Maryann, we are making progress. Just last week, the Senate included a provision in its transportation bill that would ensure that local governments and school systems are able to access critical funds to make communities safer for bicycling and walking. But our work is far from over until a final bill is passed and signed.

Thank you for doing your part to give America’s kids the right of way to a healthy life!

PS- Don’t have a fax machine? No problem! You can call the Capitol switchboard (202-224-3121) to be connected to your legislators’ offices. Don’t forget to tell them who you are, where you are from, and that you are counting on Congress to preserve funding for Safe Routes to School in the transportation bill.

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