Large Turnout Reported for this Year’s Annual Grant County 4-H Bike Rodeo/Safety Day Event

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4-H BIKE RODEO/SAFETY DAY
 
May was National Bike Month. Many people are enjoying the weather and grabbing their bike for alternative transportation or leisure exercise. Over 95 youth arrived to the Grant County 4-H Grounds with their bikes for a morning of bike safety on Friday, May 25. This bi-annual event is led by William Karels, a 4-H member of Grant County.
 
“I felt a bike safety program was important for everyone. Many kids, like myself, live on a farm and are not experiences with riding in traffic. During the summer of 2013, a Milbank youth suffered severe injuries from a bike accident. I wanted to try and prevent future accidents,” said William Karels on the reason he started a bike rodeo event in the community. In addition, he wanted to continue how much fun he had when he attended to his younger sister, Hope. She had not attended one and he wanted to make sure she was educated how to ride her bike safely.
 
Registration was open for youth kindergarten through fifth grade. The one thing William prides in making this event free for youth to attend. Grants were received and donations from local businesses. William said, “it’s great to have this support from local businesses for the bike rodeo event. Those in attendance learn how local businesses care about the kids. If we did not have funding from the businesses and organizations, it would roughly cost each youth $25 to attend.”
 
Each youth went through a series of educational sessions:
Bike Safety Check – Bike expert, Jon Kampen checked each youth’s bike from alignment of the bike to brakes and if their bike still fits them.
Bike Handling – The Grant County Sheriff’s Office led an obstacle course for the youth to complete to have them comfortably turn through a series of cones.
First Aid – The Grant-Roberts Ambulance educated each youth how to care for any bumps and scrapes they encounter while riding bike.
Bike Ride – Each youth enjoyed a bike ride on Flynn Trail.
Bike Safety—The South Dakota Highway Patrol presented a lesson on safety and allowed youth to sit in his patrol car.

 

The highlight of the event is two bikes are given away.  The boy recipient was Henry Gall and the girl recipient was Jossalynn Spiering.  ShopKo Foundation and Knights of Columbus generously donated the bikes. In addition, each youth received a bag from Milbank Area Hospital-Avera filled inside was a shirt and bike reflector. The bike reflectors were purchased with a grant from the South Dakota State 4-H Leader’s Association.  Before the event started, each youth was fitted with a free bike helmet. The helmets were donated from the South Dakota Emergency Medical Services for Children and from a South Dakota Building Rural Communities (BRC) safety grant.  A complimentary noon lunch was enjoyed by those in attendance.  Sponsors were the Thrivent Financial and the Midwest Dairy Association.  At the end of the event, each youth received a certificate and a door prize.

 

To encourage bike safety a coloring contest was held.  The winners received a trophy compliments of Street Graphex.  The recipients were Bree Townsend:  Camria Cameron: Jada Cameron: and Isabelle Flores.

 

“I admire the leadership William takes on this event,” said Sara Koepke, SDSU Extension 4-H Youth Program Advisor-Grant County. “The event is growing each time with youth participating and also the support of the businesses and organizations. This is an important event for Grant County youth to learn the proper bike safety.”

 

“We are excited to be offering a summer incentive for youth to continue to wear their bike helmet, if a law enforcement officer finds youth wearing their helmet, they will receive an ice cream token at Milbank Hospital-Avera,” explains Koepke.

 

Sponsors for the event include Carrie Novy, Kibble Equipment, Mill Theaters, Milbank Area Hospital-Avera, KMSD Radio, Subway, Hardees, Taco Johns, American Lutheran Church, Triple Dip Lodge, Knights of Columbus, ShopKo Foundation, Lewis Drug, South Dakota State 4-H Leaders Association, Sime Repair, Pizza Hut, Grant County Sheriff Office, Grant-Roberts Ambulance, South Dakota Highway Patrol, Milbank Police Department, Street Graphex, Unity Square, Valley Queen-The Cheese Store, Grant County 4-H, Jon Kampen, Midwest Dairy Association, Thrivent Financial, Catholic United Financial, Great Western Bank, First Bank and Trust, Seehafer ACE Hardware, Food-N-Fuel, South Dakota Emergency Medical Services for Children, Building Rural Communities (BRC) Safety Grant, and VPD Studio.

 

The group leaders for the event included William Karels, Benett Street, Hope Karels, Madi Loeschke, and Cailey Sime.  Other group assistants included Natalie Meyer, Tracy Pillatzki, Jessica Pillatzki, Devon Balling, Callie Bolin, and Heidi Meyer.  Adult assistants were Susan Sime, Jason Karels, Susan Karels, Sally Heinje, and Sara Koepke.  Also present were numerous volunteer parents and grandparents.

 

There are some helmets available at the Grant County 4-H Office in the basement of the Courthouse if any youth need one.  Plans are in the making for the next 4-H bike rodeo and safety day for 2020.

 
2018 participants included: 
Abril Ayala Ramirez
Adalynn Schmieg
Aiden Kelly
Alexis Meyer
Alyssa Rethke
Andrew Karels
Annabelle Schwenn
Avery Montag
Avery Schuneman
Benett Stret
Brady Allen
Bree Townsend
Breven Schmieg
Brock Sime
Brynlee Schmieg
Cailey Sime
Camria Cameron
Chaxton Hicks
Devon Mueller
Drake Wellnitz
Elise Graham
Elliana Ritcher
Emir Lopez
Emma Tesch
Ethan Adolph
Ethan Shackelford
Evan Rethke
Evy Liebe
Fischer Ruhr
Hailey Heinje
Haley Swenson
Henry Gall
Henry Heller
Heyden Montag
Hope Karels
Ian Loehrer
Isabella Flores
Jacob Erickson
Jada Cameron
JadaLeigh Wellnitz
Jaxen Dockter
Jaxson Wiese
Jeter Scoular
Jossalynn Spiering
Kaci Zinter
Kannon Anderson
Keaton Johnson
Kenna Wellnitz
Kennedi Sayler
Kinley Swayze
Kye Scoular
Kyra Tostenson
Lawson Novy
Liam Heller
Lydia Gall
Mackenzie Mueller
Macyn Dunnihoo
Madi Loeschke
Mason Allen
Max Scoular
Micah Tostenson
Michael Janssen
Miriam Del Angel
Morgan Dunnihoo
Nolan Grabow
Nuria Rodriguez
Oakley Whipkey
Oliver Erickson
Parker Grabow
Ramzey Hick
Reese Rudebusch
Reese Schuneman
Rhyanna Rudebusch
Rhylei Gengler
Rylee Scoular
Sean Nicholson
Sebastian Flores
Shyenne Grossi
Sophia Bass
Sophia Schuchard
Sophie Gruba
Susie Schuneman
Sydnee Weyh
Tahlin Pearson
Thomas Bass
Tyler Heinje
TyLynn Wellnitz
Uziel Lopez
William Karels
Zayda Townsend
Zoe Schwenn