Use this search box to find articles that have run in our newspapers over the last several years.
| By Natasha Clark Assistant Managing Editor CHICOPEE Thanks to the Kiwanis Club of Chicopee children will be riding with safety on their side. At the 8th Annual Family Safety Day & Bike Rodeo youth learned about protection equipment, first aid and general day-to-day safety measures. Hosted at the Big Y parking lot on Memorial Drive, the four-hour event included a bike rodeo/obstacle course, face painting, giveaways and extraordinary raffles prizes such as Red Sox/Yankee tickets and an overnight stay at the Hampton Inn. The day's big raffle prize winners were: first place (Yankees / Red Sox tickets) Ken Desrochers, second place (Scratch ticket tree) Fred Martins, third place ( Hampton Inn overnight stay) Ryan Murphy and fourth place ($40 in Cavalier gift certificates) Ceasar Costa. Isis Glenn was the bicycle Winner. "It went very well," Kiwanis Club Vice President Elaine Labbe said. "We had a great turnout. Lots of bikes were repaired by our Kiwanis team for safety. We had the kids identification and dental impressions and videos done by the Chicopee Lodge of Masons. We had our bike rodeo by Westover Airforce Reserve." Labbe said safety for the kids is the motto of the club which is why the event was created eight years ago in the first place. The club is committed to preventing accidental injury in children and offered approved bicycle helmets at the rodeo for children and adults as well as running several bicycle stations where riders can learn bicycle safety skills and practice them in a safe setting. "It's springtime and all the kids are on bikes and it's good for them to know that a helmet is only good when adjusted properly," Labbe said. She said they are grateful to the sponsors for helping to put on the family safety day. "We are very thankful for our sponsors that helped us with this project and we look forward to having this again next year," Labbe said. Sponsors and partners include Time Plus Payroll Services, Bog Y, Chicopee Savings Bank, Chicopee Electronics LLC, PeoplesBank, Michael's Party Rentals, Ink Products, Mount Vernon Group Architects Inc, Dairy Queen, Reminder Publications, The Chicopee Register, TD Banknorth, Teddy Bear Pools & Spas and Dunkin Donuts. |