News Release

WARSAW — The Bike Rodeo was held Friday, Oct. 6, at Sacred Heart Elementary School for Sacred Heart and Lincoln Elementary third-graders — continuing a Warsaw Noon Optimist Club tradition that dates back about 30 years.

With the combined efforts of Tracey’s Trailer, Kosciusko County Velo and the Warsaw Noon Optimist Club, 94 kiddos from Sacred Heart and Lincoln elementary schools got to try out their skills and practice what they have been working on for the past four weeks.

Tracey’s Trailer provided bicycles for the event. There were dozens of bikes ranging from beginner’s strider bikes up to more advanced rider bikes. Bicycles were available in different sizes for children to choose from. The bikes are maintained and serviced by TrailHouse Village Bicycles, located in Winona Lake. Kosciusko County Velo provided classroom instruction for the four weeks prior to the event. Topics covered were: bike safety instruction, biking etiquette and proper road rules for road biking. Each child also was measured to be sized for a new properly fitting bike helmet. In addition, a bike safety picture was provided to each student to be colored and submitted for a coloring contest.

The Warsaw Noon Optimist Club provided the end-of-the-rodeo treats for everyone and certificates for each of the participants. The group also awarded first-, second- and third-place prizes for the coloring contest for each classroom. Third place received a bike lock; second place received bike lights; and first place received a bike computer. New bike helmets were provided to each student by the Noon Optimist Club.

It took many volunteers to make the Oct. 6 event happen. The Noon Optimists are also grateful to the Warsaw Community School Corp. and the Warsaw and Winona Lake police departments.

The Bike Rodeo is a tradition that was started back in the early 1990s at Atwood Elementary School by the Warsaw Noon Optimist Club. The rodeo moved to Jefferson Elementary School in 2006 and was held annually. In May 2022, a rodeo was held at Warsaw Community Church with Jefferson, Claypool and Eisenhower elementaries participating, and that tradition continued this past May. In October 2022, Sacred Heart and Lincoln elementaries were added. The ultimate goal is to hold a rodeo for every third-grade class in Kosciusko County.