Staff Writer
CARIBOU — Putting safety first, around 60 second-grade students from Hilltop Elementary school and cyclists volunteers rode the 2.5-mile distance from Hilltop to the high school. There were around 80 participants — including volunteers, parents, and grandparents — who spent late morning practicing safe bicycling habits.
Neal Sleeper of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department, Superintendent Frank McElwain , Patrick Bennett, Bob Sprague, Ryan Ellsworth, Mark Draper, Karen Chapman, Sam Collins, Steve Mazerolle, Hugh Kirpatrick, Caribou Rotary Club President Alan Hitchcock, Matt Bouchard of the Caribou Parks and Recreation Department, Galen Dickinson and the second grade students of Hilltop Elementary gathere in the gymnasium for the distribution of bike helmets donated to the students by the Rotary Club of Caribou.
“When we first started [the bike ride], we made sure they had their helmets on right and everyone has their helmets and that they don’t wear loose clothing or shoelaces that are too long to get caught in the pedals,” said Supt. of Parks and Recreation Kathy Mazzuchelli. “We do bike inspections because we want to make sure that they have brakes, that the seat’s adjusted right, [and make sure] they understand that there are things they can do to their bicycle to make it safer for them to ride. Also, we help Mom and Dad understand a little bit about the work involved with a bike, because it’s fun to ride through mud, but mud does a lot of damage to bike chains so we like to teach them how to clean it and how to keep it running and how to adjust the brakes,” she explained.
In addition to the bicycle safety lessons each student received, the morning was made quite a bit safer thanks to a generous donation by the Caribou Rotary Club, who provided each second-grade student at Hilltop Elementary with a free bicycle helmet.
According to Mazzuchelli, the Rotary Club of Caribou has distributed 2,339 helmets to children in Caribou, New Sweden, Woodland, Stockholm and Connor to date.
The Rotary Club of Caribou began distributing helmets in conjunction with Bicycle Safety Programs put on by Caribou Parks and Recreation in 1994.
Rotary Club of Caribou expanded their emphasis on bicycle safety in 2001 by sponsoring the first Trek Across Caribou organized by Tina Sleeper, a second-grade teacher and avid cyclist, Caribou Parks and Recreation Department, Caribou Police Dept. and Caribou Fire and Ambulance. Nearly 20 Rotarians dedicated their time to provide safety, bicycle inspections and snacks to the group.
Jim Jandreau participated in the ride with his daughter, 8-year-old Hailey.
“I think it’s great,” he said. “It’s a great way to get children and parents out for exercise and maybe stick with it,” Jim Jandreau said. “We ride our bikes regularly in the summer, and she wears her helmet all the time.”
“It was fun,” Hailey said regarding the Trek Across Caribou. Hailey pedaled the 2.5 miles with her friends. “The best part was when we went down the mountain because it’s fun to go fast,” she said.
Though most young cyclists enjoy going fast downhill, Mazzuchelli explained that all the students traveled at a safe speed. “We stressed the importance of using their brakes and if they have dual brakes, we stressed the importance of using the rear brake so that they don’t fall over the handlebars,” She said.
Regarding bicycle safety, Jim Jandreau suggests that riders “pay attention to other bicyclists, pedestrians and vehicles, follow the rules, wear your helmet, and enjoy the ride.”
Cassidey Moore, a second-grader in Mrs. Martin’s class at Hilltop Elementary, enjoyed the trek.
“It was nice,” she said.
“That’s a long ride and they did a good job there were a few that got a little tired but we’re set up so that we can pick them up and give them a ride to different checkpoints so that [the cyclists] can jump right back in again, and we do that for the kids too,” Mazzuchelli joked.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Showing that you’re never too young for a bike ride, Alfred Whitten brought Dawson along for the trip while accompanying his daughter Willow on the Trek Across Caribou
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Supt. of Parks and Recreation Kathy Mazzuchelli biked the 2.5-mile trek with students, volunteers, parents, and grandparents.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
2.5-miles was a long way to ride, and some of the students were tired as they rolled into the high school parking lot.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
Jay Olsen found a nordic track bike to be quite suitable for the 2.5-mile ride on June 6.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie Bazinet
After a 2.5-mile bike ride, Hailey Jandreau and her dad, Jim, enjoyed a little rest and ice cream.
Contributed photo
Officer Keith Oullette leads the group of cyclists through the final leg of the ninth annual Trek Across Caribou hosted by the Rotary Club of Caribou. The event Hilights bicycle safety and celebrates Rotary’s annual distribution of bicycle helmets to all second grade students in Caribou, Union 122 and Connor.
Almost 80 cyclists pull into the home stretch of their 2.5-mile Trek Across Caribou that took place on June 6, between Hilltop Elementary and the High School.
While some were tired after the 2.5-mile Trek Across Caribou on June 6, Troy LaPlante, Amy LaPlante, Steven Courchene, Austin LaPlante and John Courchene chose to trade their biped nature for the bicycle, choosing to ride home from the event that ended at the Caribou High School.
Contributed photoTrevor, a CMS student, volunteered to help with the Trek Across Caribou, including leading some second-graders across the Collins Pond Boardwalk.
Aroostook Republican photo/Natalie BazinetSue Gerakais, a volunteer during the ninth annual Trek Across Caribou road with and encouraged Emma Green through the last leg of the bike ride.
