(Seguin) — Families are invited out for a fun free day with local first responders. The annual Badges, Bikes & Tykes event returns this Saturday at the large pavilion in Max Starcke Park.
Hosted by the Seguin Police Department and Seguin Fire Department, the event features games, prizes, music, and free activities for children. The event will also include free hot dogs, chips, and bottled water.
As always, the main feature will be the raffling off of 100 kids bicycles.
Stephanie Larrimore, community engagement officer for the Seguin Police Department, says with the incentive of maybe going home with the bike, the event gives children and officers a chance to connect in a relaxed, positive setting.
“A lot of times, when we interact with people on a daily basis, it’s not always in a healthy environment where we can just kind of interact and kind of have fun with these kids,” said Larrimore. “A lot of us officers will be wearing a PD T-shirt and some shorts, kind of more relaxed environment. And they get to interact with us. They get to talk to us, ask questions.”
Larrimore says the event simply helps children feel more comfortable around police officers and other emergency personnel.
“It’s a very nice interaction with first responders in general with these kids and gets them to understand that they don’t have to be scared,” she said. “We want the kids to be a little more comfortable. We want them to be able to approach us when they need to.”
In addition to police officers, representatives from dispatch, the fire department and other agencies will be on hand. Children can enjoy bouncy houses, and AirLife is expected to bring a helicopter for families to explore.
To distribute the bikes, organizers will measure each child using a color-coded height chart to determine the appropriate bike size.
“We can kind of figure out, estimate, okay, you need a 20-inch bike or you need a 12-inch bike for the littler ones,” said Larrimore.
Each child ages 1 to 16 will receive a color-coded raffle ticket. Winning numbers will be posted on boards near the stage throughout the event.
Larrimore encourages families to arrive early and make the most of the activities while waiting to see if their child wins a bike.
“Let the kids interact and have fun, and you as well can have fun,” said Larrimore.
Those who attend are asked to check in immediately at the raffle table so that they can secure a ticket. Badges, Bikes & Tykes is free and open to the public.