Friends

of Buker Bessie Buker Elementary School 1 School Street Wenham, MA 01984

Gearing up for Summer

Bike Safety Day at Wenhams Elementary School

WENHAM Summer vacation is less than 20 days away, and the students at

Buker Elementary School are getting ready. All classes enjoyed a Bike Safety Assembly Wednesday followed by an afternoon of bike races and obstacle courses. The event is part of an annual bike safety awareness program sponsored by the Friends of Buker. Wenham Community Police Officer William Foley and Heather Ross from the MassDOT Safe Routes to School program provided students essential reminders to keep safe while riding a bike. Foley talked to student cyclists about being aware of road dangers like motorists exiting driveways and using traffic lights to cross the street. Ross message was clear that anyone under 17 must wear a helmet every time they ride a bike because that is the law in Massachusetts. After school, the community participated in Bike Day on the Buker campus to practice safe riding skills. Pinnacle Bike Works of Beverly transformed fields into a bike racing track with all new equipment this year. Safety demonstrations and information was available along the School Street driveway. Event coordinator Melanie DOrio said despite cloudy skies the afternoon events were a tremendous success. Today was a testament to our greater community almost 100 student participants came out to support some good old fashioned fun, she said. Parent volunteers and Pinnacle Bike Works guaranteed safety and success, while the smiling faces and competitive spirit of all racers added to the excitement. Working together the schools, safety officers, and students will make this the safest summer of cycling in Wenham.

Melanie DOrio, Parent Voluneer, msdorio@yahoo.com, 617.767.3395 Heather Ross, Safe Routes to School, heather.ross@dot.state.ma.us, 857.368.8646 Officer William Foley, Wenham Police Department, police@wenhamma.gov, 978.468.4000 Stuart Thorne, Pinnacle Bike Works, stu@pinnaclebikeworks.com, 978.922.7722