Story from Valencia County News-Bulletin archives, January 12, 2002

E-mail a friend    Printer-friendly format

Date: January 12, 2002
Byline:
Headline: Do us a favor ˜ wear a helmet
    They soar. They fly. They appear absolutely fearless. The skateboarders and in-line skaters using the pyramids set up in the parking lot at Belen City Hall are fun to watch. We love seeing these kids having a good time in a place where they won't cause any damage to concrete, which is apparently more fragile than we think about it being.

   It's a wonderful idea for the city to provide a place where the kids won't be in danger of being run over by cars ˜ and where they won't smash into pedestrians. It's a temporary move until a skater's park is installed at the new Multi-Purpose Park north of Belen High School.

   It's probably not cool to mention this, but we urge skaters to make a commitment to wearing helmets and knee and elbow pads. If all of you decide to do it at once, none of you will feel as though you're sticking out.

   When you're young, you feel invincible. But bad things can happen to good kids, even when you're just having fun with your friends.

   Adults care about you kids in Valencia County. The firefighters among us hate it when they get a call in which the patient is a young person ˜ it stays with them for years. Police officers feel the same way ˜ it reminds them of their kids at home. Newspaper reporters do not enjoy at all having to write a story about a teen who is hurt or in trouble ˜ even we have hearts. Do us all a favor. Please don't get hurt. Please wear your helmet. And have a good time.