The Bike Safety Rodeo has become a much loved and anticipated annual event in Grand Marais, bringing families and children from across the county together to help kids learn how to bike safely. Each year this event is possible thanks to community volunteers and this year, we need you! Over twenty volunteers are needed to make this event happen and there are still many roles available.

The 2024 Bike Safety Rodeo will be held on Thursday, May 16 from 3:00 -5:00 p.m. at the Cook County Community Center in Grand Marais (317 West 5th Street), rain or shine, inside the arena in the event of inclement weather. This fun and educational event is sponsored by the local Safe Routes to School Committee and Cook County Public Health. No bike needed to participate! The SRTS Bike Fleet will be onsite for community use during the event. In addition, due to a generous donation from Joynes Ben Franklin and the grant funding from the North Shore Collaborative a limited number of free helmets and bike lights will be available. 

It is a great opportunity for children to get ready for spring and summer biking with a bike and helmet check. Kids can practice bike safety education while riding through a fun bike skills course. There are a variety of volunteer roles, and no prior biking knowledge or experience is needed to volunteer. From assisting with activities to being a course monitor, there is a lot of fun to be had while supporting our youth. Most volunteer roles do require standing for the duration of the event, but accommodations will be made whenever possible.

The Bike Safety Rodeo helps kids be safer bicyclists with a properly fit helmet, a checked bike, and by testing their abilities on the skills course. All ages are welcome! Adults are strongly encouraged to accompany younger participants and all participants are required to have a signed permission slip (sent home with the schools the week before the rodeo or available at the event for guardians or parents to sign).

The Safe Routes to School Committee works year-round to make it safer and easier for children to walk and bike to and from school. Studies have found that physical activity, such as walking or biking to school, allows students to concentrate better during the school day. And while many students in our county do not live in Grand Marais, many walk or bike to an afterschool destination in Grand Marais. Other local initiatives include Walk/Bike to School Days, in-school bike education, walk audits, and many other initiatives.

To volunteer at the Bike Rodeo or for more information about joining the Cook County Safe Routes to School (SRTS) Committee, contact SRTS Coordinator, Kristina Mattson, at or 218-387-2330 ext. 110. Volunteers may also sign up online at https://tinyurl.com/Bikerodeo2024

About Cook County, MN 

Cook County encompasses the sovereign nation of the Grand Portage Band of Lake Superior Chippewa; the City of Grand Marais; the Townships of Lutsen, Tofte and Schroeder; and unincorporated areas in the easternmost part of Minnesota’s North Shore. Cook County Government values transparency and strives to deliver superior services and programs in a fiscally responsible way. We value the dignity of all County residents and seek to create a community that provides opportunity for all. Many of our offices are in the Cook County Courthouse at 411 W 2nd St, Grand Marais 55604. Other departments and facilities, such as the Airport, Community Center, Highway and Sheriff are located nearby. Call 218-387-3000 or visit: https://co.cook.mn.us  
                

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Contact:  Kristina Mattson, Safe Routes To School Coordinator, 218-302-1342, [email protected]