SAUGUS — Elementary schoolers showed off their bike decorating and riding skills at the town’s first Bike Rodeo Wednesday.
The Saugus Police Department and Youth and Recreation Department teamed up to welcome children, their bikes, and helmets to the Belmonte Upper Elementary School for the event. Before attempting skill stations and obstacle courses, Saugus police officers required the children to participate in free safety checks to ensure their bikes’ brakes were in working order and their helmets fit properly.
Saugus police officers supervised bike drills for children entering grades four and five, while children entering grades one through three were invited to compete for prizes in a bike decorating contest judged by volunteers. Prizes included bike equipment and helmets, which were awarded for creativity.
“Other communities have done it so we kind of picked and chose what activities we liked best,” Saugus Police Sgt. Fred Forni said.
Upon registration, participating children received a free goody bag and raffle ticket. Before the end of the event, organizers randomly selected one of them to receive the most anticipated prize of the day, a new bike. Forni said a police department grant that allows officers to put on non-enforcement activities, including car seat installations, made the event and prizes possible.
The first stop after registration was a safety station, where organizers explained the proper way to stop a bike, as well as the meaning of different road hand signals and road signs.
The next interactive stations included a “turtle race,” where the last person to reach the finish line without placing their feet on the ground won first place, and a “paperboy course” where riders threw rolled-up newspapers into target bins while pedaling. After completing the turtle race and paperboy course, participants took on a longer obstacle course for the final race, which incorporated the skills they learned throughout the event.
Katie Finn attended the Bike Rodeo with her daughter, Shannon, who sported a unicorn helmet as organizers added air to her tires before she attempted the paperboy course. After completing the activities at each station, attendees like Shannon also had the opportunity to climb inside a Saugus police cruiser and fire truck.
“The kids seemed to be having a really great time,” Forni said. “That’s what it’s all about.”
The Saugus Youth and Recreation Department Interim Director Crystal Cakounes said she was grateful that Forni asked her staff to help plan the Bike Rodeo and hopes it becomes an annual event.
“We recognize a lot of the kids because we run the summer camp and they love riding their bikes honestly,” Cakounes said. “I am really thankful to the police for coming up with the idea and thinking to involve us because it’s a great way to come together to provide something safe and positive for the community.”
Rachel Barber can be reached at [email protected].
