Valley Mover would like to thank their latest contributor, Mat-Su Health Foundation.  On March 22^nd, 2011, Mat-Su Health Foundation awarded the Target Wellness Grant in the amount of $8,948 to Valley Mover for our contribution to the wellness of our population.  In doing so, they say in their grant that they enter into a partnership with us to provide new insights into effective ways to strengthen our community wellness.

We feel that Valley Mover contributes to the health of the Mat-Su Valley in the following ways:

• Safety – With approximately 150 one way passengers daily, we are removing as many as 75 cars from the road each day.  This cuts down on the traffic during the commute hours, reducing the risk of accidents while providing a safe environment for our riders.
• Physical health – Less traffic mean less pollution in the environment, yielding better air for the Valley, Anchorage and the surrounding areas.  An average commuter vehicle will produce 115# of hydrocarbons, 862# of carbon monoxide, 57# of oxides of nitrogen, 17,175# of carbon dioxide and use 871 gallons of gasoline in a year.  Multiply that by the 75 cars and you can start to see how much pollution is removed from the environment because of our public transportation efforts.  Our riders also benefit from less stress from not having to navigate the roads during the commute.
• Mental health – Our riders are free to relax and enjoy a number of activities that include napping, reading, listening to music or podcasts or visiting with fellow riders.  They arrive at their destination much more relaxed.
• Road health – If our current level of ridership takes 75 cars off the road each day, that translates into 5460 less miles driven each day, or well over a quarter of a million miles each year.  Reducing road wear saves money at the same time that it yields better roads.
• Financial health – With bus passes at $100/month, assuming an average of 20 mpg, our riders can save $236/month in gas alone (with gas at $4/gallon).  If calculating the complete cost of driving your vehicle (based on federal figures of cost per mile driven), our riders can save $740/month.  If you include parking, that savings rises to $825/month.

So, we hope that you will come contribute your health and that of the population of the Mat-Su Valley by commuting with us.  Together we can show Mat-Su Health Foundation that their Target Wellness Grant is much appreciated and well used.