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Being safe while having fun is as easy as riding a bike

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Children ages 4 to 14 are invited to attend the free bike safety program on Wednesday, May 17, at 5:30 p.m., at the Gundersen Prairie du Chien Clinic.

Bike safety program May 17 in PdC

By Correne Martin

Bicycle riding is fun, healthy, and a great form of independence. But it is important to remember that a bicycle is not a toy; it’s a vehicle.

A free bike safety program Wednesday evening, May 17, at the Gundersen Prairie du Chien Clinic, is scheduled to share safety tips, challenge riders on a course and offer bike and helmet checks. This event, which has been offered for more than 16 years, is geared toward children ages 4 to 14 years old.

The program will begin at 5:30 p.m., in the parking lot of the health clinic, where bike and helmet checks will be done and kids will be invited to navigate a “bike rodeo course,” complete with stop signs and opportunities to practice making turns. At 6:15 p.m., the crowd will head into the clinic lobby for a presentation about bike safety, given by Officer Ashley Erickson, of the Prairie du Chien Police Department.

Bike helmets will be provided for children who do not have them, courtesy of Gundersen Medical Foundation. There will be bike giveaways, thanks to a private donor, and three boys and three girls in three different age groups will take them home. As a bonus, door prize gift cards to Culver’s, Dairy Queen, Hardee’s, Pizza Hut and Prairie Cinema will be rewarded.

“Everyone will walk away with something,” said Kelsey Lomas, Gundersen’s bike safety coordinator. “This is not just for our Gundersen patients either; it’s for the whole community.”

In addition, a coloring contest is being incorporated into the bike safety program and winners will be chosen in three different age groups.

“We’re asking kids to design the helmets (on paper) how they’d want to wear them,” Erickson said.

Whether the youth have their own helmets or they receive one at the program, the police department will fit them correctly to each child. Likewise, officers and Gundersen staff will assure kids’ bikes are a good fit before leaving the event. To make these activities a success, children are asked to bring along their helmets and bikes if possible.

During the presentation, Erickson will demonstrate how children should put on their helmets. She also plans to cover hand signals, sign recognition and traffic laws bicyclists must follow. A few additional safety pointers explained will include:

•Don’t ride through wet leaves and gravel. Watch out for bumps along the path.

•Don’t cross between cars.

•Walk bikes across busy intersections instead of riding them.

In total, the informational portion of the night will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

Adding to the excitement of the evening, Lomas said, cotton candy, popcorn and juice will be served.

For more information, call the clinic at 326-6466.

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