Families are invited to attend a free bike rodeo that will take place on Wednesday, May 10th, 5:00 – 6:00 pm at the Boys & Girls Club parking lot at 320 6th Ave SW, Perham.  

Children ages K-8 and their parents will have fun learning bike safety skills at a variety of  engaging learning stations; The bike rodeo learning stations will consist of Safety Checklist, Driveway Rideout, Crazy Crossroads, Cones, Brake Dancing, Staying Between the Lines and Testing the Hand signals. As participants complete the bike rodeo course, they will be eligible to enter a drawing to win a new bike.  Fourteen new bikes have been provided by local sponsors along with many new bike helmets.  No pre-registration is required but participants need to bring their bike and helmet.  

Co-sponsors of this event include KLN Enterprises, the Perham Police Department, Perham Health, The Real Estate Company of Detroit Lakes(Dave Neisen),  Boys and Girls Club of the Perham Area, Lake Region Electric Cooperative, Arvig, East Otter Tail 4-H  Youth Development Program, Ben Holzer Unlimited, Perham Lions Club, Ace Hardware, Safe Kids, Sanford Children’s and PartnerSHIP 4 Health.  

The bike rodeo is a part of National Bike Month.  During this month residents are encouraged to incorporate more walking and biking into their daily routines. Whether your goal is to stay physically active or save money due to the high cost of gas prices, this month presents a great opportunity for people of all ages to develop some great healthy living habits that may last a lifetime.

PartnerSHIP 4 Health, the Minnesota Statewide Health Improvement Partnership of Becker, Clay, Otter Tail, and Wilkin Counties, is an integral part of Minnesota’s nation-leading 2008 health reform law, which strives to help Minnesotans lead longer, healthier lives by preventing the chronic disease risk factors of tobacco use and exposure, poor nutrition and physical inactivity. SHIP seeks to create sustainable, systemic changes in schools, worksites, communities and health care organizations that make it easier for Minnesotans to incorporate healthy behaviors into the daily lives of youth and adults.

For more information on the bike rodeo event call Police Chief Jason Hoaby at 218-346-4452 or Jason.hoaby@cityofperham.com.  For more information about PartnerSHIP4Health, go to www.partnership4health.org.   Contact Janet Malone the U of M 4-H Youth Development Program Coordinator @ 385-5424/malon034@umn.edu for 4-H Youth Development programs within East Otter Tail County.