September 18, 2002

SAFETY FESTIVAL AND BICYCLE RODEO
WILL TARGET SPANISH-SPEAKING RESIDENTS

Charlotte, NC - The Mecklenburg County Park and Recreation Department and Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department (ADAM-1) will host a community Safety Festival and Bicycle Safety Rodeo on Saturday, September 21, 2002. The festival will take place 11 a.m. - 3 p.m. at the new Wal-Mart location at 8180 South Tryon Street, near the I-485 interchange.

The goal of the festival is to educate the non-English-speaking residents of Mecklenburg County about safety - bicycles, guns, fire, etc. There will also be information about the importance of good nutrition. Park and Recreation and CMPD will give away dozens of bicycle helmets, plus Wal-Mart will donate $1,000 to the Park and Recreation Department for the purchase of additional bicycle helmets and the development of additional bicycle safety programs.

On July 5, 2001, Governor Michael Easley signed the "Child Bicycle Safety Act" into law. This law requires every person under 16 years old to wear an approved bicycle helmet when operating a bicycle on any public road, public bicycle path, or other public right-of-way. A City of Charlotte ordinance expands that law to include skateboards, in-line skates, roller skates or scooters.

In 2002, Park and Recreation's Bicycle Safety Rodeo program will educate more than 3,000 children and distribute more than 1,700 free helmets. For more information about the Bicycle Safety Rodeo program, call 704-529-1827.