The special event had a dual purpose to raise child safety awareness while also promoting and encouraging sustainable transport options with added benefits for participants’ health and wellbeing.
Division 3 Councillor Keryn Jones said it was great to see the strong turn-out from the local students, parents and teachers participating in the walk to promote the Daniel Morcombe Foundation’s aims of making the world a safer place for children.
“Everyone was encouraged to wear red in support of the Daniel Morcombe Foundation. This is a colour which links Daniel’s story in a discrete way to the importance of Child Safety Education,” she said.
“The Day for Daniel is not a memorial day. It is a learning day for our communities and our children.”
In addition to the walk from Dicky Beach Surf Club along the beach to Currimundi State School, the local police visited the morning school assembly to provide some important information about children’s safety.
Council’s TravelSmart program is a voluntary travel behaviour change program that runs in schools, workplaces and the community promoting and encouraging sustainable transport options such as walking, cycling, riding scooters, catching public transport, and carpooling.
Everyone that participated in today’s walk and “TravelledSmart” went into the draw to win some great TravelSmart prizes. The winning prizes were drawn during assembly with the first prize being a Razor Pro Model Scooter.
Cr Jones encouraged everyone to get active outdoors and enjoy the beautiful surroundings that the Sunshine Coast region provides in spades.
“Families who are able to TravelSmart to school even one day a week can help reduce traffic congestion around the school gate, improve the health and wellbeing of the students and reduce greenhouse gas emissions,” Cr Jones said.