Hartford, CT (April 23, 2012) –  With May designated as National Bike Month and May 18 as National Bike to Work Day, Bike Walk Connecticut is taking the lead to encourage bike commuting.  Bike commuting reduces vehicle traffic, avoids pollution, saves gas--and burns calories! 

Bike to Work Day is May 18
Bike Walk Connecticut is helping to set up Bike to Work breakfasts statewide.  To date, events are scheduled in Bethel, Farmington, Hartford, New Haven, New London, Norwalk, Stamford, Waterbury, and West Hartford and more are in the works. 

Bike Walk Connecticut is working with bicycle advocacy groups, regional planning organizations and CT Rides, the state’s transportation demand management program, to make clear that bicycling is an important option in our multi-modal transportation system.

Take the National Bike Challenge
Coinciding with National Bike Month is the launch of the National Bike Challenge (www.nationalbikechallenge.org), an online tool to inspire and empower millions of Americans to ride their bikes for transportation, recreation and better health.  The challenge runs from May 1 to August 31 and has a goal of “uniting 50,000 people to bike 10 million miles.” 

The challenge website makes it easy to log bike trips, whether they are commuting, for errands, for recreation or by mountain bike—any trip by bike may be entered in the challenge.

Cyclists can compete in the challenge as an individual, as part of a workplace, as part of a community, or as part of a 10-member team.  Connecticut will compete in the National Bike Challenge against other states on a points per capita basis.    

Bike Walk Connecticut is coordinating the state challenge and aims to make sure that Connecticut is well represented. 

For more information
For details about participating in or organizing a Bike to Work event in your town, see www.bikewalkct.org/bike-to-work/ or contact Sandy Fry, Bike to Work and National Bike Challenge Chair for Bike Walk Connecticut at sfry@crcog.org , or Kelly Kennedy, Bike Walk CT Executive Director, at kelly.kennedy@bikewalkct.org.

Hartford, CT (April 10, 2012) – Bike Walk Connecticut is pleased to announce that Kelly Kennedy has joined the organization as Executive Director, effective April 2. 

“We are delighted to have Kelly join us.  With her exceptional communications skills, significant experience with other Connecticut non-profits and strong personal interest in fitness and the environment, we believe she is the right person to lead Bike Walk Connecticut’s growth as a statewide organization,” said MaryEllen Thibodeau, President of the Board of Directors.  

Kelly is a devoted outdoor sports enthusiast with roots in environmental work, public policy, management, communications, and health.  She has long been a strong supporter of efforts to develop viable options beyond the car for getting around.

"I am thrilled that the idea of car-free mobility is gradually starting to take hold among planners, realtors, government officials, and consumers," Kelly says.  "Walking and biking more, and driving less, is good for public health.  It's good for the environment.  And it's good for the economy. Bike Walk Connecticut's mission is right up my alley, and I'm very excited to join the organization."

While serving as the communications director for the Connecticut League of Conservation Voters, Kelly helped promote the Complete Streets bill of 2009, as well as other initiatives such as last year's recreational liability reform and vulnerable user legislation. She has worked with a variety of nonprofit organizations in a freelance capacity, doing web design and communications, strategic planning, and event planning.  Her previous careers include working as a tax attorney in state government, and before that, running corporate fitness programs.

Kelly is a graduate of the University of Connecticut School of Law and of the Pennsylvania State University, where she studied exercise science. She lives in West Hartford.  She can be reached at kelly.kennedy@bikewalkct.org or at 860.904.2420.