, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
, 
Saturday’s bike rodeo at the Blue Mound Ice Arena in Luverne brought remembrances of Keith Aanenson and the safety focus he emphasized to the Luverne Optimist Club-sponsored event.
Aanenson, a former peace officer and chief of the Luverne City Police Department, began the bike rodeo through the Optimist Club more than 30 years ago.
Aanenson would instruct bike safety to third-graders at Luverne and Hills-Beaver Creek elementary schools.
Aanenson, 78, died unexpectedly in January. He was one of the founders of the Optimist Club more than 40 years ago.
To continue Aanenson’s legacy, his daughter, Carrie Van Santen of Luverne, joined the club and is helping to keep the bike rodeo and other Optimist activities going in memory of her father.
“He has big shoes and I have tiny feet,” she said.
This spring Van Santen also fielded phone calls for the club’s annual sandbox fill, another project close to her father’s heart. Due to the small number of requests, the fill was postponed until next year.
However, Saturday’s bike rodeo was well attended with almost two dozen children bringing their bikes to the ice arena parking lot.
The Luverne Rotary Club partnered with Aanenson to distribute bike helmets and continued the practice this spring after a slight pause.
“The distribution that was scheduled for May 2020 was canceled due to COVID and distance learning, so we offered helmets to both third- and fourth-graders this year,” said Rotary member Karen Willers.
“Also, because of COVID and due to the loss of Keith Aanenson, our longtime bike safety instructor for Luverne and H-BC, we left the education piece of the project up to individual schools.”
Rotary members distributed more than 100 bike helmets to students in Luverne, Hills-Beaver Creek, Adrian and Edgerton.
The students were invited to bring their bikes to Saturday’s bike rodeo to receive an inspection by Ken Petersen of Ken’s Bike Shop, Luverne, and ride an obstacle course.
Van Santen is the newest member of the Optimist Club, but many volunteers help with the bike rodeo.
“There are a lot of people that are willing to help,” she said.
They’ll also be on deck to help with this summer’s fishing derby, another activity Aanenson enjoyed helping with.