More than 80 elementary students from across the Coast participated in the End of an Era themed Dirt Shredder mountain bike event on Tuesday, May 28 at Kinnikinnick school and park.
In its 13th consecutive year, students were exposed to the awesome Kinnikinnick park trails for an afternoon of mountain bike riding and racing. Student riders participated in the legendary “poker run” and age specific bike races. The trails were in pristine shape, thanks to District of Sechelt parks foreman Perry Schmitt, who worked up to his final week before retiring, to ensure the trails were safe and smooth for our riders.
For an event like this to be a success, organizers relied on a number of Coast businesses who donated prizes, food and cash donations. With generous donations from Claytons Heritage Market, Madeira Park IGA and Starbucks, riders were rewarded with fresh food and drinks after the competition. A big thank you also goes out to RCMP School Liaison Const. Cameron, CO Dean Miller and Kellei Bulmer Baker at BC First Aid for keeping riders safe. We also want to thank our school PACs, local bike shops, climbing centres, Raven’s Cry Theatre and Pelagic Technologies for their generous prize and cash donations. And a huge shout out to Margaret Cooper, who is retiring from teaching this June. Ms. Cooper has been a lead organizer of the Dirt Shredder from year one, and has coached the mountain bike club at West Sechelt Elementary for the past 25 years. On behalf of race organizer Glenn Hafey, Community School coordinator Ted Chisholm and the hundreds of mountain biking students Ms. Cooper has coached, we want to give her a giant muddy hug for all the support and dedication she has offered to youth on the Sunshine Coast.
– Submitted by Chris Allen, Grade 4/5 teacher, West Sechelt Elementary School
