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ATSS Foundation Fun Run continues growing
The ATSS Foundation's annual Fun Run saw increased participation for its third straight year. The Foundation Fun Run started in 2020 as part of ATSSA’s 50th anniversary celebration in New Orleans during ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo. That year’s event covered 2 miles and took place on a downtown path overlooking the Mississippi River. The event has evolved since then as a great group activity for ATSSA member companies, families or friends, or for individuals, all of whom can take part anywhere across the country – or the world. Participants have the option of a 5K Fun Run or the 33-mile Roadway Safety Challenge, both of which can be run or walked. The ATSS Foundation's annual Fun Run saw increased participation for its third straight year. The Foundation Fun Run started in 2020 as part of ATSSA’s 50th anniversary celebration in New Orleans during ATSSA’s Annual Convention & Traffic Expo. That year’s event covered 2 miles and took place on a downtown path overlooking the Mississippi River. The event has evolved since then as a great group activity for ATSSA member companies, families or friends, or for individuals, all of whom can take part anywhere across the country – or the world. Participants have the option of a 5K Fun Run or the 33-mile Roadway Safety Challenge, both of which can be run or walked. Registrants for this year’s Third Annual Foundation Fun Run numbered 144, up from 124 in 2021. The inaugural Fun Run included 36 participants. Some of this year’s runners provided photos and data from their runs. The 2022 event was held May 14-29, with runners and walkers able to complete their event within that timeframe. People choosing the 33-mile distance can complete it over multiple days. This virtual event benefits The Foundation’s charitable programs such as academic scholarships, the National Work Zone Memorial and youth programs. “This Fun Run offers a great opportunity for our members to engage in team building and a healthy activity while supporting The ATSS Foundation. To me, that’s definitely a win-win,” Foundation Director Lori Diaz said. “I enjoy participating with co-workers at ATSSA headquarters and look forward to next year’s event.”
Make your mark by leaving a gift that matters
People like to make their mark in this world and often seek ways to leave a long-term legacy. Those lofty goals can seem elusive but are easy to achieve through The ATSS Foundation Planned Giving program. “By making The Foundation part of long-term financial planning, supporters can know they are making a difference beyond their lifetimes,” Foundation Director Lori Diaz said. Planned giving can be set up in multiple ways in consultation with a financial advisor or estate planner. People like to make their mark in this world and often seek ways to leave a long-term legacy. Those lofty goals can seem elusive but are easy to achieve through The ATSS Foundation Planned Giving program. “By making The Foundation part of long-term financial planning, supporters can know they are making a difference beyond their lifetimes,” Foundation Director Lori Diaz said. The ATSS Foundation’s core purpose is to promote roadway safety through charitable giving and public awareness programs. One of its many programs is the Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship, which helps the children and spouses of roadway workers killed or permanently disabled in a work zone incident pursue their dreams. Planned giving can be set up in multiple ways in consultation with a financial advisor or estate planner. Options include making a bequest in a will—such as specifying a dollar amount for The ATSS Foundation, designating a percentage of the estate or giving the remaining value once bequests to loved ones have been met. Another option is listing The ATSS Foundation as a beneficiary of a retirement plan, life insurance policy or Individual Retirement Account IRA. People also can simply donate to The ATSS Foundation—either in general or with the funds specified for a specific program. Establishing a financial investment in The Foundation through planned giving provides a way to: Provide academic scholarships for loved ones of fallen or permanently disabled roadway workers until work zone deaths are eliminated. Honor those who died in work zones, including work zone workers, motorists, pedestrians, law enforcement officers, firefighters, paramedics and children through supporting the National Work Zone Memorial. Give children the opportunity to work through the grief of losing a loved one alongside other children dealing with a similar situation through Experience Camps Travel Scholarships. Support the education of new public agency engineers who specialize in work zone safety and temporary traffic control through the Marty Weed Engineering Scholarship. Educate the next generation of drivers through youth programs like the work zone educational activity book and a new teen driver education course. The Foundation Legacy Circle was established to recognize individuals who make a commitment to the Foundation through their estate planning. Individuals are urged to notify The Foundation of their long-term plans by completing the gift intention form even if they prefer to not be recognized publicly. “We are thankful for the generosity of the individuals who have already chosen to become Legacy Circle members and have assured their lives will have a lasting impact. We welcome others with questions to contact us,” Diaz said. “The best way to establish a gift, however, is in consultation with a financial planner.” For more information, foundation@atssa.com.
‘Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down’
FREDERICKSBURG, Va. March 31, 2022 – The transportation industry is taking increasing steps to improve the timeliness of information about active work zones but even before those measures are available nationwide, work zone warnings are important for everyone to heed to get home safely. This year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15 with the theme: “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.” National Work Zone Awareness Week NWZAW, in its 22nd year, is a national public awareness campaign held annually at the start of the spring construction season. It spreads the message that we are all responsible for work zone safety. UPDATE: The livestream of the national kickoff event can be viewed here at 1:30 p.m. ET on April 12. FREDERICKSBURG, Va. March 31, 2022 – The transportation industry is taking increasing steps to improve the timeliness of information about active work zones but even before those measures are available nationwide, work zone warnings are important for everyone to heed to get home safely. This year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week is April 11-15 with the theme: “Work Zones are a Sign to Slow Down.” National Work Zone Awareness Week NWZAW, in its 22nd year, is a national public awareness campaign held annually at the start of the spring construction season. It spreads the message that we are all responsible for work zone safety. Statistics from the National Work Zone Safety Information Clearinghouse show the vast majority of people killed in work zones are motorists, passengers and pedestrians. The most recent statistics show there were 762 fatal crashes in work zones resulting in 842 deaths in 2019. Of those killed, 135 were roadway workers. “National Work Zone Awareness Week was established with roadway workers in mind, but the statistics make it abundantly clear that everyone is at risk in work zones,” ATSSA President & CEO Stacy Tetschner said. “The goal of this week is for motorists to slow when approaching and passing through roadway work zones so everyone makes it home safely.” Statistics for 2019 estimate there were 115,000 work zone crashes—27,000 of which were injury-involved crashes resulting in 39,000 injuries—underscoring the need to observe work zone speed limits and eliminate distractions when approaching and driving through work zones. This year’s National Kickoff Event is scheduled for Tuesday, April 12 and is hosted by the Virginia Department of Transportation VDOT. It will be held at 1:30 p.m. EDT at the Fort Monroe Continental Gazebo, 4 Fenwick Road, Hampton, Va. 23651, which overlooks the Hampton Roads Bridge Tunnel Project. In case of rain, the event will move indoors to the Fort Monroe Theater, located a few blocks from the gazebo. The event will also be streamed live. Watch for details for the livestream at NWZAW.org/participate or the ATSSA blog. Cameron Hutt of Cleveland, Tenn., a college student whose father was killed in a work zone incident in 2006, is scheduled to speak at the National Kickoff Event. Cameron is a senior studying communications at the University of Tennessee and the recipient of a Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarship. Roadway Worker Memorial Scholarships are awarded through The American Traffic Safety Services ATSS Foundation, the charitable arm of ATSSA. The ATSS Foundation awards scholarships to the dependents of roadway workers killed or permanently disabled in work zone incidents. The scholarships are competitive and have a value up to $10,000 with an additional $1,000 possible for students with a strong commitment to volunteerism. NWZAW got its start in 1997 when a group of VDOT employees in southwestern Virginia wanted to dedicate a week to raise awareness of work zone safety among all district employees ahead of the busy roadway work season. The next year, VDOT presented the idea for a national awareness campaign to the American Traffic Safety Services Association ATSSA, which, in turn, approached the Federal Highway Administration FHWA and the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials AASHTO. The groups finalized plans and launched the first national kickoff event in 2000. NWZAW now includes a theme for each day. April 11 – Work Zone Safety Training Day in which companies are encouraged to pause during the workday for safety demonstrations, discussions about safety policies and other prevention steps to protect people in work zones. April 12 – National Kickoff Event as described above. In addition, departments of transportation across the country and private companies organize events in their locations. April 13 – Go Orange Day when everyone is encouraged to wear orange to show support for work zone safety and the families of victims who have lost their lives in work zones. Photos can be posted on social media with #NWZAW and #Orange4Safety. April 14 – Social media storm in which organizations, companies, agencies and individuals are encouraged to share messages and use hashtags #NWZAW and #WorkZoneSafety throughout social media between 9 a.m. and 4 p.m. EDT. April 15 – Moment of Silence. People are encouraged to take part in this new event for 2022 to remember the people who lost their lives in a work zone incident. For additional information about NWZAW and its history, check NWZAW.org. The following public service announcements are available for use by the media: “Work zones are a sign to slow down.” That’s the theme of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, set for April 11-15. 762 fatal crashes occurred in work zones in 2019, killing 135 roadway workers. Join us in raising awareness of the importance of slowing your vehicle and staying alert as you approach and pass by a work zone. For more information, visit NWZAW.org. Each year, hundreds of people are killed in roadway work zones. Most of them are the drivers and their passengers trying to travel through the work zone. That means it’s critical for everyone to pay attention. “Work zones are a sign to slow down.” That’s the theme of this year’s National Work Zone Awareness Week, scheduled for April 11-15. For more information, visit NWZAW.org. “Work zones are a sign to slow down.” Work zone crashes killed 842 people in 2019, including 135 roadway workers. Most of the people killed were drivers and their passengers. So slow down and stay alert as you approach and pass by a work zone. Help spread the word during National Work Zone Awareness Week, April 11-15. For more information, visit NWZAW.org. Additional hashtags for NWZAW include: #NWZAW #SafeWorkZonesForAll #WorkZoneSafety #StandDown4Safety #SaferRoadsSaveLives #GoOrange4Safety