Ten happy kids get new bikes at the Versailles Bicycle Rodeo by Bob Robinson Darke County Ohio

Volunteers from the Versailles Fire Department, EMS, Police Department, Magoto Insurance and the
community have been holding a bicycle rodeo for local youth for over 14 years. Photos by
Bob Robinson and Shila Magoto

Ten happy kids get new bikes at the Versailles Bicycle Rodeo
By Bob Robinson

VERSAILLES - “I want the number seven,” said Abby Cromwell. Her brother, Matt, said he wanted number four. Brook Timmerman wanted number one while Lily Fullenkamp pointed to number seven as her choice.

“I want number two,” said Seth Rinderle a little later in the morning.

About 70-80 children, from toddlers up to age 10 and older, entered the Versailles Bike Rodeo drawings for one of 10 bicycles to be given away as they rode an obstacle course, registered and safety-checked their bicycles, signed up for the Child I.D. program and tried on new safety helmets from the Versailles Fire Department and EMS.

“We had a lot of toddlers in bicycles with training wheels… a lot of baby boomers.” Crystal Boteau and Rebecca Vagedes laughed about the number of little ones and the new meaning attributed to the phrase “baby boomers.”

“Well, the baby boomers had babies and they had babies and now they’re booming!”

Tom and Shila Magoto have been running the program for 14-15 years. Donations are used to purchase the bicycles.

“This is the first year they have all been new,” Magoto said. “In years past, the Versailles Police Department would supply recovered bikes and Terry Benge would refurbish them.”

Benge had a bicycle repair shop in Greenville for years, Magoto added. He’s retired now but still does this as a hobby.

“Terry’s been here every year. Doesn’t charge a penny for his labor and gets the parts cheap. When he’s done with the bikes, they are like new.”

Magoto said the program has pretty much been turned over to Brian Pearson, Versailles Fire Department.

“He did 99 percent of the work this year,” he added.

Pearson, who was in his third year working with the event, disagreed.

“Oh no,” he said. “He’s still the boss,” he said, referring to Magoto. “He does the advising, calls the shots.”

The kids enjoyed the obstacle course, several of them riding it multiple times.

“When we started this we did it at the high school,” Magoto said. “We didn’t use cones but had the course mapped out with chalk.

“Days later there would still be kids riding the course.”

According to Versailles Police Chief Mark Humphreys, the department registered 30 bicycles.

The annual rodeo is hosted by Magoto Insurance, Versailles Police Department, Versailles EMS and Versailles Fire Department. Sponsors include Versailles Poultry Days Committee, William J Robertson Memorial Fund, Darke County Prosecutor, Versailles American Legion Auxiliary, Benge’s Bike Shop, Children’s Medical Center of Dayton, VPP Industries, McDonalds of Greenville and Versailles Ace Hardware.

Winners of the new bicycles are Taylor Gibbons, Blaise Brandewie, Caleb Bubeck, Erica Rauh, Gideon Beasley, Allison Schwartz, Cord Pohl, Chloe Steinbrunner, Jon Gehret and Erika Grogean.

Free hot dogs and drinks were also provided to all who attended.

Published courtesy of the Early Bird