May 15, 2005
More than 350 helmets were given away.
It all started happening Saturday, May 7, in the YKHC Community Health Services Building parking lot. Kids on bikes, lining up for safety checks, new helmets, hot dogs, an obstacle course and just plain fun riding around the big paved parking lot.
This has been going on for years, and every year it gets more popular. 367 people registered for the safety course and free helmets. Once helmets were secured, there was a bike safety check; then a safety video was shown in the Teen Center bus.
On to the obstacle course with YKHC's Injury Control & EMS and BABS! Participants practiced using hand signals, obeying traffic signs, yielding to pedestrians and oncoming traffic, walking their bikes through a construction area; riding their bikes through a narrowing path, a figure 8, a swerving path, and riding on the right side of the road.
City of Bethel Parks and Recreation supervised the food situation along with volunteers from the VFW. Hotdogs, hamburgers, potato salad and juice for 400, please!
And just in case anybody fell down and skinned a knee, a Medic First Aide station was standing by.
And that's not all...
Alaska State Troopers and Safety Bear made an appearance to promote safety and helmets.
The Bethel Police Department monitored and provided traffic safety for the event, stopping traffic and ensuring that people crossed the road safely.
Bicycle Safety Poster contest
Four winning posters were chosen by the Bike Rodeo committee. Winners received a free pizza courtesy of Brothers Pizza or Pizza Pizzaria. Winners are: Sophia Krevans, Eric Typpo, Ashleigh Naneng, and Bria Pavil.
Bike Rodeo Raffle
As the participants completed each station they became eligible to turn in their registration card for a drawing for a new bike! Two winners were drawn, one for a boy and one for a girl.
Bike Auction
Bikes collected by the BPD were auctioned off at the end of the day.
Big thank you!
Committee:
YKHC - Injury Control and EMS
City of Bethel - Parks and Recreation
City of Bethel - Public Works
Bethel Fire Dept.
Bethel Police Dept
AK State Troopers
Bethel Boy Scouts
Bethel Family Clinic
Volunteers:
YKHC employees
BABS
ROTC / JROTC
Donations / Assistance Received from:
BVESA - donated $$$ for two bikes
State Correctional Facility - made the potato salad
AC
Swanson's
Anica
YKHC -- front parking lot
BNC -- lot behind CHSB for Obstacle course
ANTHC - Injury Prevention -- mini grant to purchase helmets and incentives
VFW - $$$
KYUK -- Helmet safety video
YKHC - CHSB maintenance -- tables, chairs, trash cans, clear parking lot, traffic cones
YKHC Cafeteria -- juice containers