Sports

Whiz Kid of the Week: Julian LePelch

Tam Valley fifth grader is named Marin County's Commuter of the Year in conjunction with the annual Bike to Work Day on Thursday.

fifth grader Julian LePelch is set to be honored as Marin County's 2011 Commuter Of The Year on Thursday as part of the annual Bike To Work Day.

But if you ask his proud mom, LePelch’s teacher Robin Alderson provided some much-needed help in making his daily commute to and from school possible, especially through the rainy winter months.

Alderson, it seems, created an area in her classroom for the 10-year-old LePelch to hang up his wet cycling clothes each morning.

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“Just so I wouldn’t find them rolled up in a ball later on,” says LePelch’s mom, Peggy Clark, who serves as the Marin Bicycle Coalition’s Safe Routes to Schools Project Coordinator.

LePelch will be honored at the coalition’s Bike to Work Day after party and bike expo at Marin Country Mart in Larkspur Landing.

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LePelch set a goal last summer of riding his bike to and from school every day. Clark says he hasn’t missed a day, despite one of the wettest winters on record. He often stretched those beyond his commute, frequently racking up 3.5 to 5 miles a day.

Parents and fellow students at Tam Valley Elementary nominated LePelch with the following submission: "We see him every single day riding his bike to and from school - with a smile! Rain, shine, hail, you name it we've had it all this year- nothing stops him. He is 100 percent committed...I've never seen anything like it - he is amazing! By doing this early in life, Julian is very likely to continue the conscious effort to better our world throughout his lifetime."

 

The 411: The Marin County Bicycle Coalition is hosting a Bike to Work Day after party and bike expo on the patio at the Marin Brewing Company at Marin Country Mart in Larkspur (2257 Larkspur Landing Circle) from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Those who sign up for a coalition membership will be entered in the New Member Sweepstakes, with prizes including a Jamis commuter bike. Click here for details.


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