How One Mom’s Walk to School Became a Movement of 800

From One Family to Hundreds

Same person, two different streets. Eunice Lehmacher walking on Berkeley Drive (left), the route she pioneered for Clemson Elementary families starting in 2002. Eunice on the Green Crescent pedestrian bridge (right), the first piece of safer walking infrastructure on this corridor when it opened in 2017, now being extended further down Berkeley Drive in 2026.

Back in 2002, a local parent named Eunice Lehmacher started walking her kindergartener to school from their home in Camelot. The principal warned her about the Berkeley Drive bridge. She walked anyway.

In her own words:

“I started walking my children because it was faster to walk than to drive from Camelot. And because I wanted other kids in the neighborhood to benefit as well. I kept doing it because I loved how the kids learned who lived near them or on the way to school and made relationships.

My son has ADHD and the walking and biking to school was good for him to be able to focus, another reason I insisted on doing it with my kids most days. Both my kids were biking to school unaccompanied by the time they were in 4th grade, both there and back.”

Over time, she invited neighbors to join. By 2010, the walk had grown into an organized event, with traffic stopped on Berkeley Drive so kids could cross safely. Mayor Abernathy used to greet the walkers, just as Mayor Halfacre does today.

By the time Eunice handed off the role, more than 700 people were walking together on Walk and Roll to School Day. With continued support from parents past and present like Kari Carson and Crystal Garrison, and school employees like Lorrie Jones, the tradition has grown into what it is today.

Why It Matters More Than Ever

At its core, Walk and Roll to School Day is about more than getting from point A to point B.

It’s about connection, safety, and joy. The mission of the Green Crescent Trail shares these goals.

Connection. Kids learning who lives in their neighborhood. Parents meeting other families. Real relationships forming on sidewalks.

Safety. When hundreds of people show up, it sends a clear message. Our streets should be safe for everyone, every day.

Joy. Let’s not overlook this one. It’s fun. And that matters.

The Berkeley Drive Connection

Here’s the part of the story that brings it full circle.

The first piece of safer infrastructure on this corridor opened in 2017, when the Green Crescent pedestrian bridge gave families a safer way to cross. It changed what was possible. More families started walking to school because they finally could.

Now, almost a decade later, that path is being extended. The same Berkeley Drive that Eunice was warned about in 2002 is being repaved right now, with a new sidepath under construction this year.

Twenty-four years after one mom decided to walk anyway, the route she pioneered is becoming a safe route to school for many more families.

That’s not a coincidence. It’s the result of two decades of parents, neighbors, and advocates asking for something better. And it’s the result of local leaders listening and investing in safe infrastructure.

When 800 people walked it last month, they were the latest chapter in this story.

The Bigger Picture

The success of Clemson’s Walk and Roll to School Day highlights something important. It shouldn’t have to be a special event to feel safe.

The 800 walkers and bikers proved what’s possible. The work ahead is making it ordinary.

Imagine if every school day and every part of our community looked like this.

• Safe crossings.
• Connected neighborhoods.
• Kids walking and biking with confidence.

That’s exactly the kind of future the Green Crescent Trail is working toward.

Thank you to everyone who showed up, helped organize, and supported this year’s Clemson Elementary Walk and Roll to School event. You’re helping build a safer, healthier, more connected Clemson.