ASHEVILLE - As summer is upon us and more people are out walking and bicycling, there is no better time to give out the 2010 Strive Not to Drive Awards.  Strive Not to Drive began 20 years ago as Bike to Work Day with the goal of encouraging bicycle commuting.  Over the years as concerns about air quality, physical inactivity, and traffic congestion have grown, the event has broadened to encourage any form of transportation other than driving alone in one's car.

The Strive Not to Drive Committee is again recognizing individuals who have set examples or make a difference in the support of alternative transportation with the annual Golden Awards.  This is the 2^nd year for the Employer PASSport Challenge.  The PASSport program is an employer bus pass program which allows employees to ride transit by simply showing their ID badges. 

Accepting the PASSport Challenge this year were the City of Asheville, Buncombe County, and The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa.  The challenge was to increase transit ridership during Strive Not to Drive week, as compared to ridership during the previous week.  The winner of the challenge for a 2^nd year in a row is The Grove Park Inn Resort & Spa with an increase of ridership during Strive Not to Drive week of 1.3 percent.  Buncombe County came in a close second. 

This year three new awards have been added.  The first is a Leadership Award which recognizes an individual who goes above and beyond to promote any of the alternative transportation modes other than driving alone.  Also, new are two youth awards for the Golden Spokes and Golden Sneaker.

The Leadership Award winner is Tom Knaust, an employee of REI.  He lives in North Asheville and walks and bikes for most of his daily routines.  He currently commutes 30+ round trip miles to work.  He is a leader and role model within his community in helping to find alternative ways to commute!

The Golden Spokes Youth Award winner is David Mathews - 4^th Grader.  He rides five round trip miles up Edwin Place and Kimberly Avenue and behind Ira B. Jones to get to Asheville Catholic School from his home off Charlotte Street.  After seeing David ride regularly to school, the Principal authorized the purchase and installation of a bike rack, and now, at least two other students periodically ride to school. 

The Golden Spokes Award winner is Jonathan Felsen of The Grove Park Inn Resort and Spa.  Jonathan commutes from West Asheville to his educational endeavors at UNCA, his 10+ commute miles to work at the Grove Park Inn, and many social options within West Asheville and downtown...all of which are a close bike-ride away!  He inspires others to live an eco-life, not by preaching, but by leading a good example! 

The Golden Wheel Award winner is Georgia Burt - YWCA.  Georgia lives in East Asheville and attends AB-Tech daily for classes and still makes it to the YWCA 2-3 times a week to work.  She does all of this on the City Buses.  She is a great role model for folks that think they can't move around the city on transit alone.

The Golden Sneaker Youth Award winner is Juliana Accles - 2^nd Grader.  Juliana is finishing 2^nd grade at Claxton Elementary School this year.  She has walked 1.5 round trip miles to school every day since Kindergarten, even in rain and sub-freezing temperatures.

The Golden Sneaker Award winner is Sarah Keister - Mission Hospital's Child Development Center.  Sarah is very selective on where she lives and works in town, which is why she located exclusively in Montford and won't work more than five miles from her front door.  She gets up early for a 10 hour shift JUST TO WALK 45 minutes to work.  To Sarah this means exercise, time to meditate, less money spent on gas, eating out or errands, and consequently a lower carbon footprint.

The awards will be given out by Mayor Bellamy at the City Council meeting July 27 at 5 p.m.  A pre-meeting for all nominators, nominees, and Strive Not to Drive Committee Members will be held at 4:15 p.m. at City Hall on the Mezzanine level - Department of Transportation.

Special thanks to the Strive Not to Drive Committee, Asheville on Bikes, Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Clingman Cafe, Beans and Berries, Westend Bakery, Pineapple Jacks, Short Street Cakes, WNC Bicycles Dealers Association, REI, Lexington Avenue Brewery, Liberty Bicycles, Wink, Custom, Union, Pro Bikes, Biowheels, Xpress Fashion Editor Alli Marshall, and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Police Chief Hogan and the Asheville Police Department, and pianist Christopher Shawn Scott.

The Strive Not to Drive Committee is made up of representatives from Asheville Greenworks, Asheville on Bikes, Asheville's Bicycle and Pedestrian Task Force, Asheville's Transit Commission, Blue Ridge Bicycle Club, Buncombe County, Buncombe County's Greenway Commission, Cane Creek Bicycles, City of Asheville, Healthy Buncombe, Land of Sky Regional Council, Liberty Bicycles, WNC Air Quality, and several resident's of the City of Asheville.

For more information about walking and bicycling in Asheville, contact Barb Mee at the City of Asheville, 232-4540, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it or This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .  For transit information visit http://www.ashevilletransit.com/, or email This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it .

            This release may be found at:  http://ashevillenc.gov/news/news_releases/default.aspx?id=23114.  

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