Yeehaw – local RCMP and the Fort St. John Fire Department teamed up this morning to put on a bike rodeo at Anne Roberts Young Elementary School.
Teacher Donna Hedges spearheaded the event, gathering parents to volunteer for a bike maintenance station and setting up an obstacle course for the youth to enjoy.
The rodeo is a first for Anne Roberts, said Hedges, adding that bike rodeos have been hosted at Alwin Holland Elementary three years prior, with this event carrying the tradition forward.
“Through COVID, we haven’t been able to have any bike rodeos. It’s such a valuable activity,” she said. “It’s a valuable tool, and this is a great place to do it. Our whole school chose to participate.”
RCMP Cpl. Chris Christinger said he was happy to volunteer his time alongside fellow officer Cst. Shawn Wagantall, with the duo teaching bike safety tips from nine until noon.
“We’re here to discuss the bike safety aspect, wearing helmets, using hand signals, knowing how to safely be on the road, and how to interact with motor vehicles,” he said.
Bike safety is important for the department said Christinger, and wants the public to know that wearing a helmet doesn’t just keep you safe, it’s also the law.
“We have a lot of kids in this town, and there’s lot of lifted trucks too. Thankfully we’ve never had any issues with that, but the potential’s there,” he added.
By: Tom Summer, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter
Source: Alaska Highway News