The Kiwanis Club of Bellingham is a group of individuals with the common interest of helping children thrive and survive. Our efforts vary from international projects to correct traumatic fractures in young adults to the eradication of Iodine Deficiency Disease that causes mental and physical retardation in newborn children.
Closer to home, we support high school graduation scholarships for needy children, new parent training at Bellingham Technical College, new baby packets for newborn babies on their first ride home from the hospital, leadership training through our middle school and high school service clubs, city park restoration and reclamation and many more projects that change yearly to meet the needs of our local community.
One of my favorite projects is the annual Bicycle Safety Fair at the Bellingham Boys & Girls Club. We have an opportunity to interact face-to-face with youngsters and we make a life-saving difference with children. The Bicycle Safety Fair unites safety-minded groups to deliver entertaining and educational games, rides and demonstrations for local kids. This year we Kiwanians are working with the Bellingham chapter of the Coast Guard Auxiliary, the Everybody Bike group, major contributor North Cascade Cardiology Center and the Boys & Girls Clubs of Whatcom County. The fine folks at the Boys & Girls Club of Bellingham supply all the tables, chairs, bicycles, and their nice facility so we can put this event on efficiently. Rhonda Shaffer is the director of programs and does everything we ask of her with a smile and enthusiasm. We are always looking for ways to involve the community and to keep the interest of the young families we hope to serve.
Each year, approximately 400 children in the United States are killed in bicycle crashes. All children and their parents are invited to participate in this worthwhile event and help reduce the number of childhood bicycle-related injuries. The Kiwanis Club is offering approved bicycle helmets at the rodeo for $8. Families unable to afford the helmet fee will be fitted free as a community service.
Most of our children are taught to ride by their friends or siblings. This is great for the fun aspect of riding, but it usually does not teach the responsibility for safety that will encourage survival on our public streets. Statistics show that most serious injuries and fatalities of young riders occur only a few blocks from home. With this horrific information in mind, our Kiwanis Club set out to develop a course of instruction that would be fun for the kids and teach them to avoid the five most dangerous aspects of riding on the streets.
Each young rider is registered into the course with a guardian's permission, and then taught the proper clothing to wear while riding. As they move through the course, the parents are encouraged to follow along so they may reinforce the knowledge at home. Parents are given simple handouts explaining many of the instructions on the course, and then the children are fitted for an approved helmet to protect their brains from injury on impact. If a child brings his or her own bike, that child is shown simple tests to assess the safe operation of their bicycle, or they may learn on our loaner bikes. The real fun begins at the "Demon Driveway" course, moves on to the "Crazy Crossroads," through the "Obstacle Course," "Tight Turn-Around" and "Look Out Behind."
All kids and their parents are invited. The Bike Safety Fair will be held at the Boys & Girls Club, 1715 Kentucky St. (behind Rairdon Chrysler Dealership on Iowa). The fun runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10. Tell all your friends and we may avoid some serious injuries or fatalities on our city streets.
