MONTE VISTA — Approximately 60 children participated in the 2017 Bike Rodeo Safety Day at Fullenweider Park in Monte Vista. The local Boy Scout Troop conducted a Flag Day ceremony to start off the events, which included lessons on the importance of wearing a helmet, proper hand signaling, safety inspections and more.

The Monte Vista Elks Lodge conducted the event with the assistance of the Monte Vista Police Department (MVPD), with Police Officers Robert and David Pino conducting lessons on signaling and safety as well as monitoring the bike course. Other event sponsors included the Monte Vista Neighborhood Watch.

Participating children were given a free helmet and taught proper hand signaling before demonstrating that they could safely complete a course set up with traffic cones and directional arrows. The Neighborhood Watch teamed up with MVPD to collect unclaimed bicycles and provide them for children without bikes to complete the course with and take home. The Elks Lodge, through a grant, purchased six new bicycles that were provided to children through a raffle.