Barbara Latkowski
Caledonia Courier
Just before school, a raffle was held at Overwaitea in Fort St. James in support of CoreySafe.
The lucky winner of the back to school basket was Kenny Gladue, a grade 4 student at David Hoy Elementary School in Fort St. James.
CoreySafe is an organization devoted to educating youth and raising awareness about motorcycle safety.
It March, 2005, 21-year-old Corey Lodge purchased the motorcycle of his dreams.
But after being licensed for only 24 hours, Lodge couldn’t wait to give it a spin.
As he was going around a corner on the Malahat Highway on Vancouver Island, Lodge crashed.
Since his tragic death, his mother Denise Lodge has been determined to not let the same thing happen to other motorcyclists.
Lodge, who lives in Kitimat, B.C., travels to various schools throughout British Columbia raising awareness about the importance of motorcycle safety, proper training, riding etiquette and safety gear.
Often her presentations include members of the RCMP and Roadsafety B.C.
“I want to empower kids so they can make the right choices,” Lodge said.
During her travels, Lodge has been receiving continued support from Save On and Overwaitea stores all across Northern B.C.
She hopes that with this support, she will be able to cover all administration costs associated with her organization including travel costs and providing wristbands for all students.
The stores have been busily fundraising and Overwaitea in Fort St. James continues to be a big supporter.
Store manager, Rod Hobeyn believes this to be a very important cause and one that he is happy to support.
Hobeyn, a motorcyclist himself, is aware of the dangers of motorcycle riding.
“I have lost friends in accidents. This is a very important cause,” Hobeyn said.
The raffle raised $83 and more events are planned in the future.
And as for Lodge, she will be visiting Fort St. James and hopes to reach as many children and youth as she can.
“It’s all about keeping our kids safe.”
For more information regarding motorcycle safety and CoreySafe visit: www.coreysafe.com