SIGNATURE THE
SIGONELLA, SICILY
May 10, 2013
Vol. 30. No. 18
cnic.navy.mil/sigonella
Teaching the Importance of Bike Safety
Service members from Naval Air Station Sigonella instruct kids on bike handling skills at the 2nd annual Bike Rodeo at Marinai Housing Complex May 5. (U.S. Navy photo by MR1 Gary Spence)
by mr1 gary spence NAS Sigonella Public Affairs
American Red Cross (ARC) Sigonella partnered with Morale, Welfare and Recreation, and Navy Federal Credit Union for the second annual Bike Rodeo held at the Marinai housing complex May 5. More than 40 Sigonellans and 50 volunteers participated in the event which was held in honor of National Bike Month. The Sigonella Bike Rodeo came to fruition at the suggestion of Charles Schmidt, disaster services chairman at ARC Sigonella. Schmidt has more than 30 years of experience in organizing bike rodeos and knows the importance of teaching safety skills. “We want the kids to learn good bike handling skills,” said Schmidt. “Rather than calling this a test or a school, we call it a rodeo to give it a fun connotation and to get the kids attention.” The Bike Rodeo helped teach children through
a variety of courses that focused on different bike handling skills. Children were challenged through eight different chalk courses they had to pass in order to master the course. The courses included: mounting and dismounting the bicycle; changing direction and turning in circles; steering through tight spaces; weaving; having the ability to stop quickly; turning around; riding the bicycle very slowly while maintaining balance; and learning to maneuver tight turns. "As the weather continues to improve in Sigonella, more and more people, including children, will be taking to the streets on their bikes," said Schmidt. "We wanted to make sure that the kids have the proper tools and training to ride safely all summer long." It is important to remember that bike safety begins
with making sure that equipment is properly worn and maintained. To ensure attendees were made aware, Mario Sergi and Filippo Anza from the bike repair shop at the NEX Depot were on-hand to demonstrate how to perform simple bike maintenance techniques. Children were also instructed on how to properly wear a bike helmet. The Bike Rodeo was prelude to National Bike Week, which is held in the States from May 13-17. In Sigonella it began with Bike to Work Day on May 10. "The Bike Rodeo is a great event and one we hope to hold each year," said Schmidt. "I will be departing Sigonella by the end of the year and hope there is someone who is willing to take over as disaster services chairman and continue the Bike Rodeo tradition. I urge anyone interested to please contact the ARC."
QUOTE OF THE WEEK
"A mother's love is the fuel that enables a normal human being to do the impossible." - Marion C. Garretty
Around Sigonella
Careers on Wheels
Spring Carnival
Find out what is happening around NAS Sigonella.
Students learn about a few career options.
Students celebrate the end of the school year.
PAGE 3
PAGE 8
PAGE 15
Scan for direct links to NAS Sigonella