At its annual Bicycle Safety Rodeo and Safe Kids Day, the St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center aims to equip children with the knowledge they need to stay safe while participating in sports and other recreational activities. Families and kids ages 3 to 12 can once again attend the event on Saturday, May 13, 2017 at St. Lawrence from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Jane Millner, Director of Community Relations and Development at St. Lawrence, said the event was fairly small from 1990 to 1999. After joining up with the Safe Kids Campaign, a worldwide organization that sets out to protect children from accidental injuries,the event grew to accommodate over 400 children each year. She said she likes how multifaceted the program has become over the last decade or so.
“I like the fact that it involves families and educates them not only about the importance of wearing helmets while riding bikes, skateboards, and rollerblades, but also about being safe while playing sports and other recreational activities, and being safe in general,” Millner said. “The many organizations that are part of the event focus on hand washing, accidental poisoning, sun safety, fire safety, water safety, pedestrian safety and more. And it educates them in an interesting and engaging manner while having fun.”
The day will include bicycle inspections conducted by the Economy Bike Shop and the Lawrence Police Department. Bicycle tires, frames, handlebars, chain guards and reflectors will be checked, and parents will receive a check list for each bike indicating if anything needs to be repaired.
Children are then given a free bike helmet, which is fitted by one of the St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center’s therapists. They can also ride an LPD-run bicycle safety course where they illustrate knowledge of traffic signals, hand signals, parked cars and how to avoid unexpected obstacles.
Making Waves Swim School will host a water safety program, packed with games and other activities geared towards water safety. St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center will also give away a limited number of personal flotation devices for children up to 90 pounds.
The Lawrenceville Fire Company will be on hand with an engine and a fire hazard lesson. Other participants include Capital Health, Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton, St. Francis Medical Center, the Princeton Health Care System, and the Trenton Thunder with mascot Boomer.
Bristol-Myers Squibb will present an exhibit on hazardous materials. The Boys and Girls Club of Mercer County, Brain Injury Alliance of New Jersey, Greater Mercer TMA, Greater Mercer Public Health Partnership, the Mercer County Sheriff’s Department, PNC Bank, Lightbridge Academy, McCaffrey’s Supermarkets, the Lawrence Township Health Department, Rutgers Mercer County 4H and the Sports Concussion Center of New Jersey will also participate.
Children must pre-register for this event to receive a free bike helmet and bike inspection. Register by email at bikerodeo@slrc.org (preferred) or by phone at (609) 896-9500, ext. 2212. St. Lawrence Rehabilitation Center is located at 2381 Lawrenceville Rd. in Lawrence.
