== Bike-Walk Alliance of NH ==

GSW rail trail grant awards and BWA-NH networking event

Date: Thursday, April 23, 2009

Time: 6:30 PM to 9:00 PM

Place: Safety and Health Council of Northern NE, 163 Manchester Street, Suite C, Concord, NH

Come and see the Granite State Wheelmen bicycling club give away money and meet many of your peers at the same time! This ceremony is for more than just presenting $5,000.00 in grants. You are invited to hear and learn about many NH bicycling and walking events underway or planned for this season plus the organizations behind them. Rail trails are an important part of bike-ped activities but there are many more aspects to enjoy. Meeting other people promoting healthy and economical transportation and recreation will help build a stronger network with common goals. Please see details below.

Earlier this year the GSW Board offered five $1,000.00 grants to NH rail trail organizations, a total of 22 at last count. Applications were accepted on-line with supporting documentation mailed or emailed for the Board to consider. Ten applications were received and then reviewed in detail by the Board before the voting was finalized on March 30. The five winners are:

-- Windham Rail Trail Alliance (WRTA)
-- Derry Rail Trail Alliance (DRTA)
-- Manchester Moves, Inc. (MMI)
-- WOW Lakes Region Trail (WOW-LRT)
-- Friends of the Salem Bike-Ped Corridor (FSBPC)

The grants will be awarded to the above rail trail organizations by GSW President Bill Kennedy at an informal ceremony hosted by BWA-NH at the Concord location listed above. But rather than just recognizing the five grants winners and all the efforts underway concerning rail trails, BWA-NH has arranged to include the following organizations and programs since they complement bike-ped activities and benefits available here in NH. Some of the expected organizations include:

-- All NH rail trail groups, grant winners or not
-- NH DOT Bike-Ped Office / SRTS
-- NH DHHS / DES
-- NH DOS / DMV
-- NH DRED / STAC
-- NH Green Commute Week / National Bike/Walk to Work Week
-- Program for Alternative Transportation & Health (PATH)
-- Concord's Transportation Policy Advisory Committee (TPAC)
-- Concord 20/20
-- Central NH Regional Planning Commission (CNHRPC)
-- Seacoast Area Bike Routes (SABR)
-- Healthy Eating / Active Living (HEAL)
-- Walk NH by Foundation for Healthy Communities
-- Medialink PSAs on HB-1203 RSAs, the "3-foot rule" and more
-- BWA-NH promoting statewide bike-ped advocacy and education
-- GSW, the largest and most active recreational bicycling club in NH

This April 23 evening ceremony promises to be one of the most interactive and informative meetings the NH bike-ped community has seen in years. Participants might elect to plan a future NH Bike-Ped Conference like those held years ago. Starting about 6:30 PM, snacks will be available before the program begins at 7:00 PM. The GSW rail trail grant awards will likely be over by 7:30 PM thereby allowing ample time to learn about all the other bike-ped and "green" programs underway in NH this year. Several special guests have been invited so please join the fun, make contacts, and learn what the NH bike-ped related organizations have to offer - for free!

Directions to the April 23 event:

From either the north or south of Concord, take Interstate Route 93 to Exit 13 onto Manchester Street (Route 3 South). Travel 1.4 miles (along "car alley") then turn left into the parking lot just before Airport Road. The Safety and Health Council office and meeting room, Suite C, first floor, is across the street from the VIP Auto Discount Center - the large red and white sign is hard to miss!

From the east of Concord, take Loudon Road (Route 9) then turn left onto Airport Road at the National Guard Armory. Drive 2.0 miles past Concord Airport until Airport Road ends at Manchester Street (Route 3). The Safety and Health Council office will be on your right at that intersection.

Note: There is ample free parking in front of the office, or just bike or walk to 163 Manchester Street, Suite C, Concord NH.

Questions? Wish to attend?

You are welcome to call the BWA-NH office at 603.898.9926 or email info@bwanh.org . Reservations are not required but we would like an approximate headcount for planning purposes. A "Meeting Wizard" invitation is to be sent to all expected participants in order for us to have ample snacks available.

We hope to see you on April 23!

Bill Kennedy, GSW President
bk47gh@comcast.net
www.GraniteStateWheelmen.org

Linda Gould, BWA-NH Executive Director
linda@bwanh.org

Dave Topham, BWA-NH Director
dave@bwanh.org
www.bwanh.org

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