Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"August 9, 2002
Return
to the "POINTER VIEW"
August
9, 2002
Story and photos by Kathy Eastwood
Staff Writer
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| McGruff, the Crime Dog greets four-year old Justin Ramos with a hug. |
They came, they saw and they conquered. More than 150 West Point community members braved the high heat Saturday for the annual Bike Rodeo at the PX here, where they tested their skill on the bike and learned good safety habits.
The event, sponsored by the USMA Provost Marshal, Directorate of Cadet and Family Activities, officials from Highland Falls and West Point’s Youth Activities offered many activities dealing with issues from bike safety to drug awareness.
Some popular activities included bike inspections and bike tune-ups, courtesy of Sun and Sea Sports and local and MP bike patrol members demonstrating how to catch bad guys.
The DARE booth featured a Frisbee-throw that allowed kids to knock off products that all should stay away from like alcohol, cigarettes, glue and aerosol sprays.
The bike safety area featured community children testing their skill at steering around bright orange cones while staying on the thick white straight line and remembering their hand signals in the process.
West Point MPs and Highland Falls police officers were out in force volunteering at the registration booth, inspecting bikes and cheering on the contestants.
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| Volunteer Chuck Shroedel’s vintage 1956 Chevy M.P. car was one of the attractions at the annual Bike Rodeo Saturday. |
"This event allows a child to learn how to steer with the added benefit of having the family around for support," said West Point’s Provost Marshal Lt. Col. Harry Rosenthal. "A combination of bike safety and slow speeds at West Point is the reason we see very little pedestrian-vehicle accidents here and few, if any, lone bicycle accidents.
"Events like this help to increase the visibility of the MPs beyond enforcement. We have ties in other community events like family activities with soldiers volunteering. As members of the community, we all have a roll to play," he added.
The famous, "take a bite out of crime" canine McGruff was in attendance to the delight of many of the community members. Volunteer Chuck Shroedel, a familiar face at many community events, brought his 1956 Chevy M.P. car, which fascinated both kids and adults alike.
