On Saturday, June 18, from 9AM-1PM at the Fairway Market at 699 Canal Street the Stamford Police Association give away 1,000 free bike helmets to children ages 4 - 16. There will also be a limited number of toddler size helmets available.
According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) children ages 0-14 make almost a half million emergency room visits annually for Traumatic Brain Injuries (TBI). Children under 15 accounted for 53 percent of bicycle injuries treated in emergency departments, according to the Bicycle Helmet Safety Institute.
The bike helmet giveaway was started in 1995, by now retired police officer Glenn Coppola and his wife Peggy in honor of their son Timothy who was hit by a car while riding a bike in 1992. It was the first time ever Timothy was not wearing a bike helmet. Timothy suffered severe brain damage and passed away 22 months later at the age of 10. The Coppolas started the bike helmet giveaway to prevent similar tragedies from occurring to other families.
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Since the Stamford Police Association and the Coppola family began the bike giveaway program an estimated 23,000 helmets have been handed out to youngsters.
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