Central Oregon’s Commute Options Week is starting up this Saturday, the 11th, and running through the following week until the 18th. This is the 21st year of Commute Options Week, and in addition to raising awareness about alternative methods of commuting (to work, school, etc.), the Week is about the “Drive Less Challenge”:

Get MORE out of your commute! Never rode the bus before? Always wanted to try biking or walking to work? Curious about carpooling? Check out the Drive Less Challenge, your chance to try a sustainable commute. You’ll love participating in this fun and friendly competition between Central Oregon organizations and businesses. You and your organization could win prizes, awards and more! For more information visit www.commuteoptions.org

Make it fun! Challenge a competitor or other business of similar size and arrange a prize for the winner (ex: the winning company gets a free breakfast delivered from the losing team)

Make it easy! Set up a carpooling sign-up sheet by neighborhood, post/e-mail bus schedules and safe cycling routes to work. Make it easy for people to tally their trips: e-mail/distribute tally sheets or create a large board with employee names and stickers.

And to help kick off the Week, the Old Mill District is hosting the “Little Commuters Parade” on Saturday: (from the press release)

For the second year in a row, the Old Mill District and Commute Options have joined forces to help kick off Commute Options Week with the “Little Commuters Parade.” The event, which will be held from 8:30-10:00 a.m. on Saturday, June 11th, uses fun activities to promote helmet safety and to help educate young people about reducing pollution through choosing to walk or bike. Commute Options Week will be held June 11-17, 2011.

During Saturday’s event, children will have stations where they can decorate their “vehicle”, such as a bike, tricycle, scooter, skateboard or other non-motor-powered transport device from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m.. Decorations and art supplies were generously donated by Trader Joes and the Art Station. The parade starts at 9:30 a.m., and it winds through the streets and sidewalks of the Old Mill District.

Throw in a raffle for a Nevaro bike courtesy of REI, gift baskets from Wonderland Toy Shoppe, flowers donated by TJ’s, colorful balloons, some surreys from Wheel Fun Rentals, street entertainers and more, and you have a fun event for the whole family!

Check out the Commute Options Week schedule of events here.