An Amazing Spring of Bike Days!

By Scott S.

May 29, 2015

It’s springtime, and children are everywhere on bicycles. Bike Smart Easton has tried to balance this youthful exuberance of conveyance with bicycle street smarts.

Since our first event on March 28th, over 1,400 Lehigh Valley children have attended Bike Smart Easton’s in-school assemblies at six elementary schools. 394 children have participated in hands-on, feet-on Bike Day events, receiving new helmets, bicycle safety checks and riding instruction.

Neighborhood Ride at Calypso Bike Day (Photo taken by Jamie Cabreza)

Read on for more photos and Bike Day recaps from the first six events this spring…

Kicking off on March 28^th with the first Bike Day event of the season at Calypso Elementary School, 48 intrepid children braved the 40 degree air temperature with winter coats, gloves and miles of smiles. M.C. DJ Realion offered warmth with lively music and bike safety related announcements. Bethlehem Food Co-op provided snacks for the children. Cutters Bike Shop provided prizes to win. Kids painted a large bicycle-themed mural to hang in Principal Bast’s office (Thanks Crayola!). The event culminated with a neighborhood ride around the west side of Bethlehem, a chance for the children to demonstrate their ability and willingness to communicate, ride on the right half of the road and stop at stop signs.

Instructor Anne Felker fits a child’s bike helmet (Photo taken by Jamie Cabreza)

Our second Bike Day, at the Forks YMCA Education Center, had 41 children getting fit for helmets and having their bicycles safety checked by Cycle Fitters Bike Shop and Bike Smart Easton instructors. This community event focused on health and fun and was co-partnered with kale smoothies from ShopRite, 99.9 HAWK FM, and other organizations.

Children practice bike handling and traffic cooperation skills at March Bike Day (Photo taken by Scott Slingerland)

On May 9^th, the first-ever March Elementary School Bike Day was held on College Hill, Easton. Principal Hector Bonilla and 75 young cyclists attended. Along with new helmets and bike safety checks for all of the children, the children rode the basic skills course (geared toward learning to balance and start/stop) and expert skills course (enhancing bike handling skills and traffic understanding). The City of Easton Fire Department brought a truck from nearby Station #3. About 20 children participated in the neighborhood bike ride, while trees rained pink flowers along the way. Genesis Bicycles provided mechanic support and donated a bicycle for this event.

Helmet fitting station at March Bike Day (Photo taken by Scott Slingerland)

The Cheston Elementary School Bike Day has been running at this south side Easton school for over 10 years, and the enthusiasm of the neighborhood was strong on May 16^th. 195 children attended from this school of 550 students. Principal Yanders and many teachers volunteered their time to assist helmet fittings. The Cheston PTA put together a great cookout for the children. The City of Easton Fire Department brought a ladder truck to demonstrate for the children and to capture aerial photos of the event. Coalition for Appropriate Transportation donated a bicycle with front and rear hand brakes.

Cheston Bike Day (Photo taken by Jim Corcoran of the Easton Fire Department)

Going west, on May 24^th, Bike Smart Easton traveled to Lower Macungie for Willow Lane Bike Day. This after-school event was attended by 35 children and supported by Bike Line of Allentown. After riding, the children got a chance to see the effectiveness of a helmet tested, with a watermelon inside… The Bike Day was featured on the WFMZ evening newscast.

The next Bike Day will be held on Saturday, May 30^th, from 10am-2pm at Fairview Park in Palmer Township, PA. The event is open and free to the public. Over 900 children from Palmer and Tracy Elementary Schools are invited to attend.