PLATTSBURGH — Hundreds of families gathered outside, and inside, the SUNY Plattsburgh Field House to learn all things safety.
The Town of Plattsburgh Parks and Recreation department and Clinton County District Attorney’s Child Advocacy Center combined efforts to host this year’s Bike Block Party and Safe and Sound, a child health and safety fair, for families of the North Country.
Both events featured informative tabling from federal and local law enforcement, city and county departments and several local organizations.
The groups and organizations present offered safety demonstrations and advice, as well as free goodies for the kids, including free bike helmets, reflectors and a free bike raffle, as well as free life jackets.
The idea of the event is quite simply to make everyone safer through knowledge.
“We started the Bike Block Party about five years ago in an attempt to bring safety info to the community,” Pangborn said.
Families attending the event were given a “Bike Block Party Passport” to engage the children with the partners and safety information.
“We hoped it would get the kids engaged with the information,” Pangborn said.
“If they fill out a passport, they will get extra prizes.”
Everything at the Bike Block Party was free, including the bike raffle.
A brand new chapter of Cycling Without Age, an international non-profit organization, offered a sneak peak at their service which utilizes a trishaw for those who are handicapped or differently abled to enjoy a bike ride.
A trishaw is a three-wheeled bike, often seating two and pedaled by one.
“The focus is to bring out elderly adults, and those who are less able of all ages, out for free bike rides,” Rebecca Boire-West, founder of the Adirondack Coast chapter said.
The goal is to promote socialization and to get them back out into the community.
Bike Block Party partners include the City of Plattsburgh, Plattsburgh City Police, Clinton County District Attorney, Maui North, Kiwanis International, Clinton County Youth Bureau, Hey I’m Kim, Clinton County Health Department, Biketopia, NAMI, CWA-ADK Coast and Women on Wheels Scary Mary Skate Coach.
According to the Cycling Without Age website, Cycling Without Age is an all-volunteer movement started in Copenhagen, Denmark in 2012 by Ole Kassow who wanted to help the elderly get back on their bicycles.
Since then, chapters have formed across the globe, and the Adirondack Coast Chapter is one of the latest to open.
This chapter has been a work-in-progress since 2022 when a committee was formed to establish the chapter, including representatives from the Office for the Aging, Advocacy and Resource Center, JCEO, Americorps Seniors, the Senior Citizens Council and other concerned community members.
According to Boire-West, their long-term goal is to build a fleet of Trishaws and expand beyond Plattsburgh.
Those interested can register for a ride, or find more information, online at https://www.cyclingwithoutageadkcoast.com/.
The non-profits slogan is, “The right to wind in your hair,”
“Safe and sound is our annual health and safety fair for kids,” Jamie Rock, Child Advocacy Center, said.
“This is our third year hosting this, but our first year at the field house.”
The Safe and Sound event featured 45 vendors offering health and safety information and freebies
The event included performances by Pipsqueak Party Time, River Jack Z, Nancy Langlois school of Dance and Wyatt Hackett, Illusionist.
Kids had the opportunity to meet therapy dogs and state police k9 units, as well as a photo opportunity with Disney princesses Belle, Mirabel, and Rapunzel, and even spider-man from Fantasy First Characters.
Lina the Lizard Lady was also in attendance with reptiles, prairie dogs and a sloth.
“This is a community health a safety fair,” Rock said.
“With lots of agencies offering their resources, as well as free give aways, it is overall a fun day for kids.”