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A tragic fact: Each year nearly half a million children and adolescents suffer head injury resulting from a fall from a bike or scooter in America. A significant number of these youth suffer long-term consequences of these incidents, forever changing their lives. This rather common occurance is preventable if children are taught to simply wear bike helmets.
In 2001 the DMYF started a bicycle helmet safety program called the Lids-4-Kids program whose broad aim is to help prevent child head injury by donating and fitting certified bicycle helmets to youth. In addition to donating and fitting the helmets, we focus particular attention on discussing the importance of wearing helmets with children and their parents. Also, we take time to instruct parents how to fit bike helmets propertly to insure that helmets will remain fit once the helmet has been given. Since its inception this program has donated and fitted over 3500 bicycle helmets to youths in southeastern Massachusetts!
In 2006 alone, 8 tireless volunteers donated and fitted 1000 helmets in 6 hours at the 2006 Swan Festival in Wareham, MA. It is pleasing to see many of these youth sporting their new "lids" on long bike rides along the Cape Cod Canal. You can't help but feel a sense of accomplishment in as you pass these youngsters, knowing all the while that maybe your efforts helped avert a tragic incident. Thanks to all those who worked so hard to help so many!
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