Geared up for summer

PERKNS TWP. — A different type of bikers recently rallied at Furry Elementary. Perkins Township hosted a bike rodeo at the school where families in the community could come out and learn about bike safety just in time for summer. It was a cloudy morning, but the rain held off long enough for families to bring their young bikers out to the elementary school's parking lot. Dylan Nolan was one of the first students to complete the course. He was accompanied by his grandma, Jody Nolan, who said they came out to learn bike safety and work on one of his Cub Scout badges. Kai McGinnis came out with his mother, Rachel McGinnis, and completed the course with his Spider-Man bike. Rachel said she came out because the lessons taught were good to know and learn. "He likes to ride his bike, so it's good that he has this knowledge," Rachel said. In addition to using the event as a learning experience, other participants like Matt Scheerer and his sons, Maxwell Scheerer and Mason Scheerer, also came out to take advantage of the fun activities hosted by the community. The event started with a vehicle inspection by a mechanic and a helmet fitting for children under 10. Once they got the professional's approval, the children were off to show what they knew about bike safety on the course. With the help of police officers and firefighters, children went through various stations. • They practiced starting and stopping. • They learned how to signal left and right turns. • They navigated through tennis balls to practice avoiding obstacles like rocks in the road. • They looked both ways before "leaving their driveway." • Used their eyes and ears to "cross the train tracks." After completing every checkpoint, the participants' last stop was a bike wash where they used soap and water to clean up their vehicles. Each child was sent home with a goodie bag and entered into a raffle to win a bike thanks to the support of BrightView.