It’s National Bike Month—a time to celebrate bicycling—and May 16-20 is National Bike-to-Work Week. Help promote bicycling in your community by writing a letter to the editor of your local paper, highlighting cycling’s many benefits. Bikes Belong has drafted a sample letter for you to use. Just cut and paste your name and town into the text, add a local angle if you want, and send it to your local paper. Your published commentary will inspire people to celebrate National Bike Month in May, National Bike-to-Work Week May 16-20, and National Bike-to-Work Day May 20. This can motivate people to ride bicycles, helping create new cycling enthusiasts. If your letter is printed, please send us a clipping. Sample Letter Text May is National Bike Month. This is a perfect time for the people of to recognize and celebrate bicycling’s many benefits. Bicycling is a healthy and non-polluting type of recreation and transportation. Bicycling is a solution to many challenges our country faces today. Bicycling:

• Promotes healthier lifestyles and lowers healthcare costs
• Offers recreational opportunities for youth
• Reduces stress
• Is a great social activity that strengthens friendship and family bonds
• Decreases road congestion and polluting emissions
• Builds closer-knit communities by slowing the pace of life and encouraging interaction
• Creates jobs, supports independent businesses, and helps power the U.S. economy

May 16-20 is National Bike-to-Work Week and Friday, May 20 is National Bike-to-Work Day. Now is a great time to get out and ride—whether you’re already an avid cyclist or haven’t pedaled in years. If you’re a regular cyclist, introduce someone to bicycling. You can offer to guide a ride to work, or take a child out on a bike for the first time. This month, whatever you do, ride a bike! Promote bicycling in our community. It will help make a better place. Learn more about National Bike Month.