MUSD, County sponsor children's bicycle safety event

Kids learned about bicycle safety Saturday at the Menifee Union School District's Walk 'N Rollers event.

Press release from Menifee Union School District:

MENIFEE -- On Sept. 2022, the Menifee Union School District, in partnership with the Walk ‘N Rollers and the Riverside University Health System (Public Health- Safe Routes for All Program), ran its first Walk ‘N Roll Festival. This exciting event brought over 100 parents and students to the Bob O’Donnell District Education Center in Menifee to provide a day full of fun activities and services designed to promote bicycle safety.

“So many of our students ride their bikes to and from school,” said MUSD Superintendent Dr. Jennifer Root, “so it was very important for us to have this event. Safety is a major priority for us, all aspects of safety; and that includes the safety of our learners on wheels.”

Students at the Walk ‘N Roll Festival walked up to a variety of safety stations. There was a DIY washing station to tidy up bikes, along with a repair station hosted by Menifee Bicycles, a local bicycle shop. There were also several skill stations where kids learned how to properly start and stop their bicycles, how to scan and signal while riding, and how to yield and avoid hazards. Students also received one of the most important equipment pieces for bike safety - a free helmet!

Walk ‘N Roller Executive Director Jim Shanman said, “Children love riding bikes. Freedom and independence are unparalleled. So often, though, they aren’t taught the essentials of bike safety, which is the cornerstone of traffic safety. The lessons they learn today will inform their actions for years to come.”

This is another event in a series of activities that the district has engaged in over the past four months to strongly promote all aspects of school safety. That series includes ongoing collaborations with the Menifee Police Department, a Summer Safety Summit, and hosting joint community meetings with the Superintendent and Chief of Police.

Walk ‘N Rollers will be hosting another event in Menifee soon in anticipation of the new pump track opening up in Menifee southeast of Craig Avenue and Evans Road.