Letters to the Editor

To the Editor: If you walk, bicycle, ride a horse, run, drive a tractor, operate a wheelchair, hold a traffic sign, or herd farm animals on Vermont’s roads, then this letter is directed to you. I’m writing to urge you to express support for H.540, a bill in the Vermont House of Representatives that offers protections to a wide range of vulnerable users of Vermont’s roadways. H.540 mandates that motor vehicles must pass vulnerable roadway users with due care and every reasonable precaution. It forbids motorists from throwing things at vulnerable users and it prohibits motorists

Dear Friends, Here is the good news: We raised over $18,000 for Earthquake Relief in Haiti. A check will be sent to Partners in Health by the end of this week.

We want to tell you all how overwhelmed we have been by the outpouring of generosity from all of you in response to our idea of organizing an event to raise funds for relief in from driving carelessly and imprudently around them. In my role as a bike/ped advocate, Vermont residents constantly tell me that they don’t bicycle, run or walk on Vermont’s roadways because they’re afraid. Specifically, they tell me that they’re afraid of the cars and trucks that pass them too closely and with excessive speed. Vermont would benefit from having more people bicycle, run, and walk. Our air would be cleaner, our roads and parking lots would be less congested, and our citizens would have fewer problems related to chronic disease. You can help foster personal and planetary health by urging lawmakers to protect vulnerable roadway users. Please send an email message expressing support for H.540 to the House Transportation Committee’s legislative assistant Fran Cerulli at FCerulli@leg.state.vt.us H.540 has components that would benefit Vermont in a variety of ways. Thank you for doing what you can to advance this bill.

Nancy Schulz Executive Director Vermont Bicycle & Pedestrian Coalition Haiti.

To all of you who donated items and services to the auction, provided a spectacular array of food, spent lavishly at the auction, and left checks and cash in generous amounts in our donations pail…. we thank you!

We also hope that you share our pride in the amazing power of all of us, working together, for a very important cause.

If you would like to learn more about Partners in Health and their work in Haiti, the website is www. pih.org. In Kreyol: Se pou Bondye benianpel! In English: God Bless you all!

Julie Hoyt and Marguerite Mason Weston, VT