Bicycle, skateboard, “Skip-it” and good old-fashioned foot power are some of the ways that 13-year-old Holt Armstrong and his 10-year-old sister Madison get to Arthur Public School each day during the school year. Though they live far enough from the school to qualify for placement on a bus, the siblings have been walking to school ever since they moved to Arthur six years ago. Their mother, Karen Armstrong who is employed by Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Health Unit and is a member of the In Motion committee, suggested the children walk rather than ride. Karen’s job is to encourage people to get active; she wanted to set a good example. Her husband Ken, a volunteer fireman, gave his full support to the idea. ?Their first summer in Arthur, the Armstrong family spent a fair amount of time practicing the route to school, how to safely cross the street and street-proofing their children. Sensational media and access to information from around the world can lead to over-protective tendencies in parents. However, statistics regarding missing children haven’t changed much since records have been kept in Canada. 57,000 children were missing in 1987 and 56,000 in 2008 of which 40,000 were runaways and only 56 cases were related to strangers. ?Karen and Ken are fans of the “Buddy System” and their children take the same route every day. It’s important that parents know where their children are and how to find them in bad weather or if there is an emergency. They’ve noticed that neighbours and friends keep an eye on their children along the route and people driving down Hwy 9 will often stop and let the kids cross the street. ?Holt and Madison enjoy walking and talking with friends they meet along the way to school. Sometimes kids in the area will call up to walk or ride with them. One morning they saw three deer at the bridge, another time they came across a skunk (and went the other way). One day, Holt was treated to the sight of three blue jays together.?“There’s no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing,” Karen said when asked how the children fair in unpleasant conditions. ?In the rainy season, Madison dresses in cute boots and a funky umbrella while Holt chooses sporty teenage gear. Both of them wear good quality ergonomic backpacks. As soon as the snow melts and the roads are dry the children ride their bikes and beat the bus to school. ?Karen’s noticed the children spend their extra energy, stored up through a day of sitting in class, and have a hearty appetite. Madison recently came in 5th in track and field. According to Karen, children should take a minimum of 15,000 steps per day, adults 10,000. The family will make a game out of exercise and has done pedometer challenges together. Karen would have to walk to school and back twice to meet her daily step requirement- sometimes she does!?Though Holt will be heading to Wellington Heights Secondary School in the fall, Madison will continue to walk to school. She will enjoy the route with a buddy, her parents and occasionally on her own. Karen would like to remind folks the first Wednesday in September is International Walk to School Day.?