Top photo: Kiwanian Brad Cassin talks about bicycle safety with the third graders at Westfield River Elementary School. Bottom photo: Kiwanians George Delisle, left, Lorena Dubois, and Stefan Czaporowski, Westfield’s school superintendent, fit students with new bicycle helmets as part of the club’s annual bicycle safety initiative.
Every third grade student in Westfield’s schools is getting a lesson on bicycle safety and a new bike helmet from the Westfield Kiwanis Club.
Past club president Brad Cassin, himself an avid cyclist, is presenting a program on bicycle safety to third graders at every Westfield public and parochial elementary school in May and June. As part of the program, each student is fitted with a new high-quality bike helmet by Kiwanis volunteers. The helmets are provided by the Kiwanis Club with the assistance of New Horizons Bikes and the Friends of the Columbia Greenway.
Cassin teaches the students how to do a pre-ride safety check, how to avoid common riding safety mistakes, proper use of reflectors and lights, how to signal turns, the importance of wearing a helmet, and more.
The children are also informed about a new Westfield Police Department safety initiative. This summer, city police officers will stop children seen riding their bikes, scooters, or skateboards while wearing proper helmets to reward them with a coupon for a free ice cream cone. The coupons can be redeemed at Mrs. C’s Soft Serve, Mr. Whippy’s Golf Acres, or Northside Creamery. The program is funded by Westfield Gas & Electric/Whip City Fiber.