Mary Farmar School Saddles up for Bike Rodeo

On Friday, April 8, Benicia school kids were treated to the Bike Rodeo, part of the  Solano Transportation Authority's Safe Routes to School Program. The program encourages students to walk and bike to school safely with educational events like the Bike Rodeo.

A team of coordinators and volunteers wrangled well over a hundred two-wheeled kids, and a few three-wheelers. The Rodeo is an 8-station safety event that includes: Bike inspection, Helmet fittng, Rules of the road with the Benicia Police Department, a road coarse, a Dodge 'em safety training, a Slow race and the Finish line.

The event was set up on the Mary Farmar school blacktop, complete with courses laid out in orange safety cones. Loaner bikes were on hand for kids without wheels.

Tracy Nachand fitted kids with their helmets, making sure they were safe. Kids that did not have helmets or had defective ones, received a brand new helmet. Narchard works with the Solano Public Health and has been doing the Bike Rodeo for two years but has been doing helmet safety for six years. “The hardest part,” says Nachard, “is getting parent volunteers. “

Benicia Police officer Will Patterson,  did the traffic safety station, reviewing hand signals with each kid. Patterson is also the BHS school resources officer. Parent volunteers Stephanie Hunt and Greg Smith have children that attend Mary Farmar. Smith, a member of the Mary Farmar Dad's Club, was on hand to fill tires with air.

The Safe Routes to School Program is funded by a variety of grants from organizations like Bay Area Air Quality Management District and is free to the public.