Walk Bike Ambassador Activities

Michele Oesch

Trailnet’s 12 Walk Bike Ambassadors are located throughout the St. Louis region. Their activities include assisting with Trailnet advocacy campaigns and helping to address walking and biking issues in their own communities.  For example, Michele Oesch of the Skinker De Baliviere neighborhood in St. Louis recently had several successes in improving accessibility and safety.

Michelle used the online Citizens’ Service Bureau system to get the direction of a grate changed on McPherson in the Skinker Debaliviere neighborhood. Seems like a small change, but less tires stuck in grates is good for safety.

“It was really empowering to see how I could work through the City’s processes for improvements in bicycle-safety in my neighborhood,” Michele said.

Deidre Brown

Deidre Brown of Florissant is not only a Trailnet Walk Bike Ambassador and a GirlTrek St. Louis Team Leader, but she has now been awarded a Walking College Fellowship by America Walks, a national advocacy organization that promotes walking and walkable communities. The Fellowship will enable Deidre and 24 other advocates from around the country to participate in a four-month training program designed to strengthen local efforts to make communities more walkable. Deidre will also get to participate in the international Pro Walk, Pro Bike, Pro Place conference in Vancouver, British Columbia in September.

“I’m excited to have another tool to bring about political and social change and be a role model for reclaiming neighborhood streets and reestablishing the tradition of walking and biking as an everyday activity,” Deidre said.