Jaycees plan ‘bike-a-rama’

Press, 15 April 1978, Page 11

Jaycees plan ‘bike-a-rama’

A “bike-a-rama” for schoolchildren, designed to encourage a greater awareness of road safety, will be held by the Rakaia Jaycees on April 29. The chapter’s publicity officer, Mr A. Wilson, said the event would be held in a form similar to a car rally, but with no emphasis on time. Competitors, aged from five to 15 years, will travel one of three courses, ranging from two miles and a half, to 10 miles, according to their agegroup. On the way round the course they will be asked various questions on the Road Code, and will be given clues as to the next part of the route to take. Mr Wilson said the rally had the support of the Ministry of Transport, and officers would inspect bicycles for roadworthiness. There will be a prize for the competitor gaining most points in the rally, and a special lucky prize. As a project for national Jaycee Week this week, the chapter has added to the attractions at the adventure. playground which it has developed in the Rakaia Domain in the last three years. Last week-end members set up an old tractor in the play area, and affixed sliding poles to the fort. The chapter is involved

in local promotion of the national project organised with the Mental Health Foundation: “Have crisis, can cope.” The chapter is organising regular discussion groups in the district during this campaign, to help improve understanding of these crises. The chapter has two teams entered in the national business management game, which is nearing the end of the first round. Both teams have prospects of getting through to the second round. There are more than 200 teams from throughout New Zealand taking part. Rakaia will be host to one of the three regional eliminations for the .Jaycees’ South Island central region public-speaking contest. Chapters from Ashburton, Methven, Hinds, Rakaia, and Mayfield will take part in the elimination. The winner will go forward to the final at the regional conference at Hanmer Springs in June. The chapter will organise a community course in chairmanship and meeting procedures early next month. Fifty chapter members and guests attended an annual social evening recently, the guest speaker at which was Dayle Hadlee, the Canterbury and New Zealand representative cricketer.