A message from Walkable Hillsborough Coalition to North Carolina residents (and beyond)…

Please call or email his office today.

In the last Congress, Senator Burr (R-NC) was a lead sponsor of S. 1156, the Safe Routes to School Program Reauthorization Act. Senator Burr is currently considering whether to again take the lead introducing a bill supporting Safe Routes to School in the new Congress.

The federal Safe Routes to School program provides critical funding to help local schools and communities make it safer for more kids to walk and bicycle to and from schools. This funding is helping to reduce safety risks, get more kids active, and cut down on traffic congestion around schools. The Safe Routes to School bill is necessary to help sustain and expand this program.

Please take a few moments to contact Senator Burr’s office to thank him for his past leadership and encourage him to stand up for Safe Routes to School again. You can either call or email Senator Burr’s office—but time is of the essence, so please take five minutes to do this today!

Instructions for calling:

Dial (202) 224-3154 and tell the person that answers the phone you have a comment for the Senator.

• Tell the staff person that you live in North Carolina and that you very much appreciate Senator Burr’s past leadership on the Safe Routes to School bill, S1156, and hope he will again be a lead co-sponsor to help more kids be safe and active on the trip to school.
• Add your own personal touch by explaining in 1 sentence why Safe Routes to School matters to you.
• You may be asked for your name, and you will likely be asked for your zip code to verify you are a North Carolina resident.

Instructions for Emailing:

• Go to http://burr.senate.gov/public/index.cfm?FuseAction=Contact.ContactForm
• Fill out your contact information and select “transportation” as the issue
• Write a short message. Include a sentence or two about why Safe Routes to School matters to you.
• Make sure to also include the following ask: I thank Senator Burr for his past leadership on Safe Routes to School by being a lead co-sponsor on S. 1156. I urge you to again step forward and take the lead on re-introducing the Safe Routes to School bill in this Congress.

Please forward this message to other people in North Carolina. Thank you for acting today to support Safe Routes to School!

If you are not a North Carolina resident, please use this post as a general outline to contact your local Senator.

“Hillsborough is no ordinary, small, southern town”, is the declarative boast of the Alliance for Historic Hillsborough.  History, arts and culture are alive and flourishing in Hillsborough year round.

The Hillsborough Arts Council has been active in developing and supporting the arts locally for more than 20 years. In spring and summer on the last Friday of each month the town square comes alive with music, vendors and an Art Walk visiting downtown galleries, while sidewalk cafes provide food and drink to complement the festivities. Fall brings the annual Handmade Parade that rivals Macy’s, but with giant puppets created by the participants – some even on stilts- who take over Churton Street for the march and convene with observers to celebrate at the Burwell School, a local historic site. To brighten the winter months, the Arts Council presents Parlor Concerts, musical presentations that take place in some of the town’s historic homes.

The community history comes to life frequently during the year with Family History Days that re-create scenes from the Revolutionary War with reenactment and tours that highlight the period. Once the State capital, the town has a legacy of statesmen and heroes to celebrate.

There are walking tours throughout the year that begin at the Hillsborough Visitors Center which provides maps and historic information on homes and significant sites and sometimes a personal guide in period dress. The Halloween tours focus on the “haunting” aspects of town history and expand the fun to a “trick or treat” by all of the downtown merchants.

For more a more recent history experience, visitors and especially NASCAR enthusiasts, enjoy having a look at the Occoneechee Speedway Trail which includes one of the first two NASCAR tracks and is the only one remaining from the 1949 inaugural season.

Visitors find Hillsborough to be a friendly and welcoming place. It is home to a number of nationally recognized writers and artists who enjoy being a part of community activities. Visit a local bookshop and you may come away with an autographed copy of the work of a prize-winning author who just happened to stop by to say hello.

The Eno River flows peacefully through the town and adds to the beauty of its parks. A River Walk ushers visitors from the West End to the downtown area. Hillsborough is proud of its “walkable” nature and carefully maintains its very scenic environment.