In this issue:
  • Community Highlight: Stevens Point
  • Active Wisconsin Network Call
  • 2022 Webinar Series from 1k Friends
  • News from 1000 Friends
  • Dangerous by Design 2022
  • Resources and Funding Opportunities
Community Highlight: Stevens Point
1000 Friends of Wisconsin was awarded a grant from COWS in partnership with three Green Tier Legacy Communities (GTLC) to improve community health by promoting pedestrian and bicycle access for children and families, specifically by addressing active transportation gaps to schools and parks. The three participating cities are Monona, Stevens Point, and Wisconsin Rapids.
Susan drove up to Stevens Point on a beautiful sunny day in late July to meet with Adam Kuhn and Chris Klesmith (city planning staff) and Michael O’Meara (retired WisDOT employee and member of the bike/ped safety committee)... Click here to read more.
Active Wisconsin Fall Network Call
Mark your calendars for the Active Wisconsin fall network call on Wednesday, September 14 from 10:30-12. The focus is preparing for Pedestrian Safety Month with guest speaker Darrin Wasniewski from AARP Wisconsin. We are also looking forward to sharing updates and hearing from all of you around the state!

Link to the zoom registration is here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAtceuvrD4pG9AIhX0HcTAeuKHmo2EjRU4k
Upcoming Webinars in 2022
1k Friends Webinar Series - Wednesday, September 7, 12-1pm - Make Way for Pedestrians!
Get ready for Pedestrian Safety Month in October! Whether your primary form of transportation is a car, a bicycle, or a bus, one thing we have in common is that we are ALL pedestrians. Pedestrian Safety Month is a great time to evaluate the pedestrian networks where you live and advocate for better sidewalks, crosswalks, curb cuts, and more. Join us for a webinar on September 7, 2022 from 12-1pm. Presenters Denise Jess of the Wisconsin Council for the Blind and Visually Impaired and Cassie Steiner of the Sierra Club - Wisconsin Chapter will share best practices for pedestrian-friendly infrastructure and effective strategies for advocating at the local level.

The webinar is free. Link to register on zoom is here: https://sierraclub.zoom.us/meeting/register/tJUtcuitrDIjEtJCZzgqtvYxicbYDm8diQn5
In case you missed it...

Our July webinar, Resilient Cities are for the Birds, is now available for public viewing on YouTube. Alex Halverson and Eric Phillips, resilience planners at GRAEF, explained why bird-friendly cities are resilient cities and provided information for incorporating natural habitat into the built environment. You can view the recording here.
News from 1000 Friends
Ride Across Wisconsin is just around the corner, and I am planning to bike 165 miles from La Crosse to the Trek headquarters in Waterloo over two days, August 20-21. Be sure to follow the 1000 Friends Instagram account for training updates! RAW was founded to promote great riding in the state of Wisconsin and is a fundraiser for Wisconsin Bike Fed. I have a goal of raising $165 to cover the cost of registration; if you want to donate click here.
Dangerous by Design 2022
Smart Growth America has published Dangerous by Design 2022. Unfortunately, less driving during the COVID-19 pandemic did not reduce pedestrian injuries and fatalities in traffic crashes on America's roads. In fact, it was just the opposite. Worse, Black or African-American and Indigenous communities are far more impacted. Click here to read the report. Smart Growth America hosted a public briefing on the report, which you can on YouTube here.
Read, Watch, Listen, & Learn
Diversify Outdoors published an article outlining the 6 types of environmental racism, as defined by the esteemed Dr. Robert Bullard, Distinguished Professor of Urban Planning and Environmental Policy at Texas Southern University. Read more here.

Visit the Local Infrastructure Hub to search for funding opportunities in the new federal infrastructure bill. Powerful search and sort functions help navigate the long, complex list of funding sources available. Click here to learn more.

According to a new report from the Institute for Transportation & Development Policy, "cycling has economic benefits...and functions as a low-cost, high-yield, scalable solution to climate and equity issues." Click here to access the report. Click here to view a webinar about the report.

The National Safety Council has issued a report called Mobility, Technology, and Safety: the Next 20 Years, which anticipates the evolution of technology over the next 20 years and implications for traffic safety in urban areas. Read it here.

Actor and Woodworker Nick Offerman reflected on Thoreau, masculinity, and bullying in the outdoors in this essay describing his experience as a bike commuter for Outside magazine. Click here to read it.

Wisconsin Bike Fed has a new page on their website that makes it easy to contact your state legislators to advocate for better bicycling. Click here to tell your elected representatives why bicycling is important to you.

The Wisconsin DNR has two opportunities for public comment on Regional Master Plans:

A Wisconsin Public Radio podcast featured Milwaukee's Vision Zero program. Give it a listen here.

There are surprisingly few studies that look at whether walkable communities are actually safer for pedestrians, even though it seems like common sense. See what the literature says.

A new documentary, All the Lonely People, chronicles the effects of loneliness and social isolation, particularly for people marginalized because they are disabled, elderly, and/or LGBTQ. Many are isolated due to lack of transportation options in rural areas. Click here to learn more about the film and view clips.
Funding Opportunities
AARP is accepting applications for the Small Dollar Big Impact grant (up to $1000) through August 16, 2022.

The EPA is accepting applications for its Clean School Bus Rebate program through August 19, 2022. Does your school district want to replace diesel buses with electric vehicles? Read more and apply here.

The Foundation for Rural Service is accepting applications for their community grant program through August 31, 2022. Awards range from $250-$5000. Learn more here.

The C.D. Besadny Conservation Fund supports grassroots conservation and education projects that benefit Wisconsin's land, waters, and wildlife, and connects people to natural resources. Awards range from $500-$2000 and the application deadline is September 1. Learn more and apply here.

Visit the Local Infrastructure Hub to search for funding opportunities in the new federal infrastructure bill. Powerful search and sort functions help navigate the long, complex list of funding sources available. Click here to learn more.

The USDOT is accepting applications for the Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program through October 13, 2022. Learn more here.

Wheels to Woods is a school to forest or forestry related field trip grant program. They will provide up to $350 to cover transportation costs for a forest or forestry-related field trip for K-12 students. Applications accepted through August 15, 2022 for field trips taking place between Sept. 1-Jan. 31. Learn more here.
Did you know we have TWO e-newsletters? Along with Active Wisconsin, 1000 Friends sends out e-news every month. If you would like to be on the mailing list for 1000 Friends, sign up here.
What Active Wisconsin provides to participating communities:
  • Resources (grant opportunities, tool kits, etc.)
  • Local and statewide advocacy opportunities
  • Collaboration and educational presentations during network-wide calls
  • A platform (social media and email newsletters) to share your work

Please reach out with questions or comments. We look forward to hearing from you!