Little riders learn the rules of the road at Tanner Jeans Bike Safety Rodeo

Young riders got a firsthand lesson in biking safely with help from Snoqualmie police and volunteers at the Tanner Jeans Bike Safety Rodeo, held Saturday, June 7, at Community Park on Snoqualmie Ridge. Saturday's 11th annual Bike Safety Rodeo, created in memory of Tanner, a 7 year old boy who died in a bike-car accident in 2003, is a way for local families to learn about bicycle safety and overhaul their gear.

June 10, 2014 6:50 pm

Saturday’s 11th annual Bike Safety Rodeo, created in memory of Tanner, a 7 year old boy who died in a bike-car accident in 2003, is a way for local families to learn about bicycle safety and overhaul their gear.

With the support of the Jeans family, former Snoqualmie resident Laurie Gibbs founded the Tanner Jeans Memorial Foundation (TMJF) in 1993 to honor Tanner, and make sure no one else lost their child in a bike accident. Money was raised and safety programs were taught in the elementary schools. The Snoqualmie Police Department was already conducting an annual Safety Fair, and officers thought partnering with the foundation would be a good idea. Thus the Bicycle Safety Rodeo began, and soon became the largest such rodeo in the state of Washington.

The Tanner Jeans Memorial Foundation dissolved last year, but not before inspiring the naming of Tanner Jeans Field and Park. One more gift from Tanner is two scholarships to the University of Washington that will be given out to two students in Tanner’s graduating class of 2015.

Friend the event group here: https://www.facebook.com/TannerJeansBikeRodeo

Olivia Nelson, 6, gets a bike checkup from DirtCorps team captain Matt Patterson. At the Rodeo, children “learn that part of riding safely is having equipment that’s safe.” Patterson advises parents on size changes or other fixes. “I’ll definitely let them know if they need to see a professional,” he says.