2014 Media Releases

Date:

April 10, 2014

For More Information Contact:

Diane Gonzolas, Citizen Information Center, 402-441-7831

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Mayor Promotes Healthy Living and Healthy Environment

Activities include Streets Alive!, Earth Day, shoe drive and gardening initiative

Mayor Chris Beutler today encouraged residents to participate in four events and programs aimed at healthier lifestyles and environmental sustainability:

• Streets Alive! will close streets to vehicles Sunday, September 14 for free activities along a two-mile route from the State Capitol to Everett Elementary School, 1123 "C" Street.
• For the first time, Lincoln's Earth Day celebration Saturday, April 12 will be at Union Plaza.
• "The Greatest Shoe Drive on Earth" will begin at the Earth Day celebration.
• Also kicking off at Earth Day is a new gardening initiative called "Let's Grow! Get Out and Garden."

"Promoting healthy living and a healthy environment must be a community-wide effort," Mayor Beutler said. "City government is an important partner, but it takes the participation and cooperation of the private sector, the educational community, nonprofits and other community organizations. Most importantly, it takes the commitment of individuals who say, 'I'm going to ride my bike and be more active, I'm going to eat better, I'm going to recycle more and I'm going to grow my own food.' These activities and programs provide great opportunities to get started!"

Streets Alive!

This fourth annual health and wellness event is from 1 to 5 p.m. September 14. The entire route is closed to vehicular traffic so families can safely bike, walk, run, skate or skateboard. Participants can enter at any location along the route. Activities along the route will include entertainment, informational exhibits, the Everett Neighborhood Festival and VegFest presented by Community CROPS at the "F" Street Neighborhood Church. Streets Alive! is produced by Partnership for a Healthy Lincoln in collaboration with the Near South and Everett neighborhood associations and many community sponsors, partners and volunteers.

For more information, visit healthylincoln.org/streetsalive.

Earth Day

Activities from noon to 5 p.m. include a farmer's market, food trucks, entertainment, kids activities, green vehicle demonstrations, a fashion show and about 90 exhibitors with information on recycling, renewable energy, sustainability and healthy living. Union Plaza is a hub for Lincoln's trails system, so biking is encouraged, and bike valet service will be available. Assurity is providing free parking in its garage. Both 21st and 22nd streets from "P" to "Q" streets will be closed.

For more information, visit LincolnEarthDay.org.

"The "Greatest Shoe Drive on Earth"

The goal of the campaign is to earn Lincoln another Guinness World record for the "most shoes collected for recycling in one attempt." The effort is being led by Soles4Souls, an international anti-poverty organization; the Lincoln Solid Waste and Recycling Association; the Minnow Project; and the City's Cleaner Greener Lincoln initiative. From April 12 through May 17, usable shoes can be donated at drop-off sites across Lincoln. From May 11 through 16, local waste haulers will pick up donated shoes during their normal trash pickup. Shoes also can be taken to a celebration May 17 at the Pinnacle Bank Arena Plaza to announce the new record.

For more information, visit greatestshoelnk.org.

"Let's Grow! Get Out and Garden."

The campaign is aimed at encouraging more gardening in Lincoln by encouraging people to take a pledge to grow their own vegetables in home or community gardens. It grew out of the "Let's Move" effort and is an initiative of the Local Foodshed Working Group made up of local farmers, gardeners, organizations and individuals.

For more information, visit communitycrops.org/letsgrowlincoln.