The Platteville Area Optimist Club will hold its second annual Bicycle Safety Rodeo at Platteville High School Saturday from 9 to 11 a.m.

“In many ways it takes an entire community to make sure our children grow up in a safe environment,” said club president Christine Storlie. “With this program, we hope to do our part in ensuring that local children grow up safely.”

Each child who participates in the event will get a free bike helmet. There will be door prizes, including bike locks, bike lights, water bottles, and other bike-related items. Snacks and bottled water will be provided to the participants. The helmets, door prizes, and bottled water were funded by donations from local businesses, including Helker Jewelry, American Family Insurance, Farm & Fleet, and Kmart. 

A variety of bike safety stations and bike skills challenges will be available for participants to prove their ability to control the bike and navigate around obstacles, as well as obey the laws of the road. Each participant who completes all the activities will receive a certificate of achievement. Parents are encouraged to join in the fun and try to obstacle course and skills. Momentum Bikes will provide free bike maintenance, including fixing flat tires, inflating tires, tightening loose bolts, oiling chains, and checking brakes. The Platteville Police Department will be available to help kids learn the rules of the road, bike safety, and bike registration. In addition, there will be an obstacle course and other bike skills challenges.  

For more information on the Platteville Area Optimist Club, go to its Facebook page — https://tinyurl.com/pvilleoptimist — or call George Krueger, 732-7801.