Oct. 27th: Upcoming running/walking/biking/tri events

 It's Monday morning ..time to sign up for some great upcoming events.  Don't forget to bike over to the Nov. 2nd Streets Alive event in downtown Fort Myers!...and sign up for the Nov. 9th River Ride.
 

Upcoming events

Running/walking:

Saturday, Nov. 1: 7^th annual Race the Roof 15K run, 5K run, 5K walk and tot trot. Verandah Community, 11571 Verandah Blvd., Fort Myers. All proceeds benefit Habitat for Humanity, Lee and Hendry Counties. Race starts at 7:30 a.m. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com) 

 Sunday, Nov. 9: Kids Helping Kids 5K and Fort Myers Marathon/Half Marathon. Based in downtown Fort Myers with three different courses to cover 5K, 13.1 miles and 26.2 miles. 5K benefits Kids Helping Kids Festival in Centennial Park and the Golisano Children’s Hospital. Details and pricing at www.kidshelpingkidsswfl.com or www.fortmyersmarathon.com

Tuesday, Nov. 11: Veteran’s Day 5K Run across the Midpoint Bridge. Proceeds to benefit YMCA Youth programs. Race starts at 7 p.m. Registration: Before Nov. 1 veterans an youth $15, adults $20; Nov. 1-10veterans and youth $20, adults $25. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

Thursday, Nov. 27: 35th Annual Turkey Trot, Cape Coral Wellness Center 609 SE 13th Ct. Cape Coral. 5 K run/walk, 1-mile fun run and tot trot, starts at 7:30 a.m.; registration opens 6 a.m. Proceeds to benefit Golisano Children’s Hospital. (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

Sat. Dec. 6th:  River Run includes a 10K run and 2-mile walk, across bridges from downtown Fort Myers (www.ftmyerstrackclub.com)

Sun. Dec. 7th:  Everyone Runs 5K and Half Marathon (from JetBlue Park) (www.everyonerides.org)

Cycling and other events: 

Sunday, Nov. 2: Streets Alive returns to downtown Fort Myers 11 a.m.-4 p.m. Activities for the entire family focused on active and healthy lifestyles. Details at www.streetsalivelee.org.

Sunday, Nov. 9: Caloosahatchee River Ride 2014. 15-, 30-, 40- and 62-mile rides starting from Caloosahatchee Regional Park, 19130 North River Road, Alva. Staggered starts at 8 a.m. Register in advance or day of. (http://crca.caloosahatchee.org/events/?event=calendar&mon=11&details=1&id=350). 

Saturday, Nov. 15: Bicycle Bully Busters, Trek Bicycle Store Of Estero, 8001 Plaza del Lago Drive #101, Estero. Get on your bike, make a stand against bullying and raise awareness about safe cycling in SWFL at this fun family event. 40-mile ride starts at 7 a.m.; 25-mile ride starts at 7:30 a.m.; 10-mile fun ride begins at 8 a.m. (www.caloosariders.org)

Sat/Sun, Nov. 15-16: Horrible Hundred (horriblehundred.net; 11/15-16) is celebrating its 35^th anniversary and will include its usual impressive expo, a bike club leadership workshop, and plenty of challenging hills (century ride participants will climb over 4,000 feet over the course of their ride, with Sugarloaf being the highest and hardest climb). In prior years over 2,000 cyclists took part in the 100-, 70- and 35-mile rides. 

Sunday, Dec. 7th: Everyone Rides--from JetBlue Park (www.everyonerides.org)

Sunday, January 18th: Tour de Cape takes off from Cape Harbor (tourdecape.net).

BikeWalkLee Thanks Founding Member Bert Hamilton

BPAC Chair, Bert Hamilton (far right)

The BikeWalkLee Steering Group bids a fond farewell to Bert Hamilton, CEO of Harvey Software, Inc., who is moving to North Carolina.  Bert was one of the founding steering group members back in 2008 and his company has been one of our supporter organizations from the beginning.    

 Not only did Bert help launch BikeWalkLee, he hosted our monthly meetings in his office, hosted our website site, chaired the County's Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for several years, and led the county's "3 feet please" campaign.  Through Bert's leadership, the County government agreed to put "3 Feet Please" stickers on government vehicles, LeeTran public buses, and Lee County Sheriff cars.  If you see those "3 Feet Please" road signs scattered around the county, you can thank Bert.  

 Bert is a lifelong serious cyclist who bikes to work and for exercise, which gave him invaluable insights into the condition of Lee County roads and how roads should be improved to be safer for cyclists.  

 As the Chair of BPAC, he played a hands-on role in the design of biking facilities on the Metro Extension project, among many others.  Bert also generously provided "3 Feet Please" t-shirts to volunteers who worked at BikeWalkLee's 2012 JetBlue Grand Opening bike valet event, and at the first Captiva-Tri event in 2012.

On behalf of the entire BikeWalkLee network, we say "thank you, Bert!" 

Report by Darla Letourneau

FL Dept. of Health Commends FDOT for Complete Streets Policy

Thanks to the FL Department of Health for its press release applauding the FDOT new Complete Streets Policy.  As the subheading says,   "Complete Streets Promote Good Health."

 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                                                         

Communications Office

October 23, 2014                                                                                     Contact (850) 245-4111

Florida Department of Health Commends the

Florida Department of Transportation for Complete Streets Policy

Complete Streets Promote Good Health 

TALLAHASSEE – The Florida Department of Health applauds the Florida Department of Transportation (FDOT) for promoting active lifestyles through the new Complete Streets Policy.  Complete Streets requires streets to be planned, designed and maintained to enable safe, convenient and comfortable travel and access for users of all ages and abilities regardless of the mode of transportation. 

FDOT's implementation of the Complete Streets Policy aligns with the Department's Healthiest Weight Florida initiative to increase opportunities for physical activity. The new developments will promote healthier living through access to safer walkways, transit and bicycle lanes.

"I congratulate the Florida Department of Transportation for putting in place the Complete Streets Policy that supports more active living across communities in Florida,” says State Surgeon General and Secretary of Health Dr. John Armstrong. "Safer walkways and bicycle lanes encourage Floridians and visitors to build healthy activities into their daily lives.” 

FDOT Secretary Ananth Prasad said, "The Florida Department of Transportation is committed to building complete streets, ensuring our roadways are safe for all road users. We must make our roads more conducive to walking and biking in support of a healthier Florida.”

It is the goal of FDOT to implement a policy that promotes safety, quality of life and economic development in Florida. Through the Complete Streets Policy, FDOT is guiding transportation planners and engineers to routinely design and operate the entire right of way system to enable safe access for all citizens.

FDOT has begun the implementation of the Complete Streets Policy and expects it to take approximately one year to complete. FDOT will coordinate with local governments, Metropolitan Planning Organizations, transportation agencies and the public to provide Complete Streets on the State Highway System and the Strategic Intermodal System. 

The Department of Health works to protect, promote and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county and community efforts. During 2014, the Department is recognizing 125 years of public health in Florida with educational opportunities and events. Please visit www.FLHealth125.gov for more information.

Follow us on Twitter at @HealthyFla and on Facebook.  For more information about the Florida Department of Health please visit www.floridahealth.gov.