Families wheel through science

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Jessica Jackson
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May 23, 2009

Jessica Jackson The Stillwater News Press Sat May 23, 2009, 10:36 PM CDT

Hundreds of children, parents and volunteers learned simple science lessons while getting exercise and enjoying a sunny day Saturday at Boomer Lake.

The WONDER Wheel-a-Thon, hosted by the Stillwater Children’s Museum, brought families together to play with interactive stations, each with a science lesson to teach, and wheel along the lake, be it by bicycle, roller skates or another form of wheeled transportation.

“We’ve seen everything today from ripsticks to ... strollers,” Children’s Museum Executive Director Ruth Cavins said.

“The whole purpose of this event was to bring families out to be active.”

Cavins said the stations were designed to be for any age, with lessons that could be explained or altered depending on the child’s age.

“We love it when the parents get involved and play with the kids,” she said. “It fits really nicely with our mission of bringing families together to play and learn.”

The first stop offered a check-up station for bikes or whatever else was used Saturday, while teaching the kids how to use the tools.

Cavins said they gave away helmets to children who were without.

The station at the farthest end of the lake had streamers, spoke ornaments and a place to customize a name plate for children to personalize their mode of wheeled transportation.

“(It’s) where you get to bling out your ride,” Cavins said.

The “bling” station was one of the two most popular tents, volunteers said.

Participants could also stop at a speed station, where they traveled as fast as they could and were clocked by a police speed gun.

“The kids have really enjoyed that, and the adults,” Skyline Elementary School teacher and volunteer Julie Farrington said. “We even had runners.”

Chip Weir, a volunteer from IBC Bank, said runners clocked in at 19 mph, and the fastest bicycle of the day was 26 mph, that is, until the person came back to beat their own time and clocked a 27 mph.

“It’s a popular spot here. The kids keep coming back to try to beat their time,” he said. “And they like the bling. They come back after they get the bling.”

Cavins said the 120 or so volunteers helped make the event possible, even as a rain day postponed the event to this weekend.

“We have the best volunteers,” she said. “We kind of feel like (the Wheel-a-Thon) will grow every year.”

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