New Zealand Olympic Gold Medalist Sarah Ulmer created “Kids on Bikes” as a way of getting New Zealand businesses and organizations to sponsor getting children bicycles and safety gear to promote kids getting regular exercise.
World Class cyclist Sarah Ulmer is a New Zealander who won a Gold medal and set new world records at the 2004 Summer Olympics at Athens, the first New Zealander to win an Olympic cycling gold medal. In 2005 she participated in Landmark Education’s Curriculum for Living and invented ‘Kids On Bikes’
The idea being that Community organizations and Businesses sponsor bikes, helmets and safety gear which are then given to schools. The bikes, helmets and safety gear remains the property of the school; the school then loans these bikes, helmets and safety gear to children who do not have a bike but need to develop the habit of regular exercise to assist the improvement of their health and well being.
Peachgrove Intermediate School in Hamilton is the pilot school for ‘Kids On Bikes’ with Sarah Ulmer presenting the first 20 bikes to kids there, on 7th April 2006. The children receiving the bikes are being trained by the NZ Police on road safety. Upon completion of the training, they receiving a probationary license. This group will also be monitored over a period of time the results of which made available to relevant interested parties.
The long term goal is to have sponsored bikes in every school in Hamilton. As a child moves up for instance, from Primary to Intermediate, they leave their sponsored bike at the school they are leaving and pick up a bigger one at the next school having the use of a bike, helmet and gear right through their school years.
For more information visit: www.kidsonbikes.co.nz/
