Bike Rodeo celebrates 10th year educating kids about bicycle safety

WASILLA — Families from all over the Mat-Su Valley converged on Crusey Street Urgent Care parking lot in Wasilla for the 10th Bike Rodeo event put on by Mat-Su Regional Medical Center and the Mat-Su Health Foundation.

Kids on bicycles were able to ride around an obstacle course set up in the parking lot to demonstrate what they had learned about bicycle safety.

“The history is it started out of a need. What are kids doing in the summer? We saw a lot of bicycle head injuries and it was just kind of a response to that and so it’s a good community event. We give away 100 free helmets at the event this year,” said MSRMC Director of Marketing and Public Relations Alan Craft. “It’s really just a good community event for us to sponsor. One of our missions is wellness and health and with that as a backdrop, we try to be a good community neighbor a good corporate neighbor and invest in health related and wellness related activities and this is one of those areas.”

On a nearly cloudless 60 degree Wednesday afternoon, dozens of children rode their bikes around the obstacle course, through the grass and around the parking lot. Kids were eligible for prizes at many of the booths that had been set up to educate families about bicycle safety and free bikes were raffled off as prizes.

“I learned the signals. This is right this, is left and this is stop,” said 7-year-old Lauren Schachle.

Life Med parked a helicopter on the lawn and the Mat-Su Central Fire Department drove three firetrucks to the parking lot. Schachle’s favorite part of the Bike Rodeo was the prizes, but she also got loaded up into the Life Med helicopter where crew members were demonstrating for children. After each of the 100 helmets was handed out to children, Backcountry Bike and Ski owners Julie and Tony Berberich helped each bicycle rider make sure that their helmet fit properly.

“For the kids it’s really important for them to understand the proper way to wear a helmet, so you see them a lot with their forehead all exposed which is actually not the proper way to wear a helmet. We like to do the fitting for each individual kid versus just handing them a helmet,” said Julie Berberich. “We get to talk to the parents as well and the parents take it away and get to hear us tell them how they are supposed to wear their helmet.”

The Bike Rodeo celebrated its 10th year this year after starting 11 years ago. Last year’s event was canceled due to COVID-19, and had previously taken place at the Menard Center. Craft said that at past events, nurses and surgeons have spoken at the event about experience treating traumatic injuries. On Wednesday, a cantaloupe was used as an interactive safety demonstration.

“I have seen helmets save lives. I saw a young man who was hit by a vehicle. His helmet was crushed and his brain was safe,” said MSRMC nurse Erica Mucha. “Being in nursing, a lot of times you’re taking care of people who aren’t feeling well so seeing everybody just being happy and healthy and yeah, it’s just really heartwarming.”

Mucha stood behind the most popular table at the Bike Rodeo, raffling off bicycles to kids. While the event is centered around bicycle safety, each rider that completed the course was rewarded with candy and prizes were the most popular aspect of the event for many children.

“It’s great. It’s just something good for the community,” said Amy Schachle.

Over the years, the Bike Rodeo has become more interactive for children, adding an obstacle course in recent years. Backcountry Bike and Ski has attended every year to provide proper helmet fitting and enjoy attending the event as well.

“An ounce of prevention sure helps out a lot,” said Dr. Elliot Gagnon. “We do take care of the children of our community in terms of head injuries dog bite injuries, just the run of the mill kind of trauma but a helmet will definitely save a child’s life and they are our most precious resource.”