Walk & Roll to Work Rally

About 500 city and county employees along with various other agency staff and downtown citizens enjoyed a break from their normal work routine from 8 to 9 a.m. last Friday morning as they participated in the 10^th annual Walk&Roll to Work Rally at HemisFair Park.

Enjoying the cool air and bright morning sunshine, most walked from their respective starting points at the Bexar County Courthouse and Plaza de Armas behind City Hall. Another group of about 50 cyclists including City of San Antonio Public Works Director Tom Wendorf and MPO Bicycle Mobility Advisory Committee (BMAC) Chair Judge Oscar Kazen, among other notables, rode from the McFarlin Tennis Center at San Pedro Park.

Arriving at the Rally, walkers and cyclists were greeted by Master of Ceremonies Shelly Miles (WOAI-TV Traffic) and the Spurs Coyote. The crowd was treated to free refreshments and browsed through several educational exhibits about health, fitness and alternative transportation modes. Commissioner Tommy Adkisson (Bexar County), Councilman Richard Perez (Chairman, SA-BC MPO), City Manager Sheryl Sculley (San Antonio), Judge Oscar Kazen (BMAC), Julie Brown (TxDOT), Leo Lopez (VIA Board Member), Al Notzon (AACOG) and Tony Ralf (Valero MS 150 Bike to the Beach) all spoke to the economic, health and social benefits of busing, car or vanpooling, walking or cycling to work. Each of the speakers then drew tickets and awarded door prizes obtained by Gwen Schuler (City PIO Office) and Yvonne Escamilla (County PIO) to various lucky recipients in the crowd. 

By 9 a.m. all the speeches were delivered, prizes were awarded and the celebrants headed back to their respective workplaces.  

To view the pictures from the rally, click here.  For more information on alternative forms of transportation click here.