Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country
Founded 05-05-05

May 15, 2008 issue

Freedom Trail YO! Receives Free Bicycle Helmets through Avery County Safe Kids Program


EMS Paramedic Melinda M. Williams properly fits the helmet onto an FTES student. In honor of National Safe Kids Week, local chapter Avery County Safe Kids Program distributed 30 brand new free bicycle helmets to Freedom Trail Elementary School’s Youth Opportunities Program on May 2.

“With the large number of traumatic brain injuries occurring in children each year and then learning if a helmet had been worn, 85 percent of those injuries might never have occurred, the helmet distribution seemed smart, proactive and absolutely necessary,” said Avery County Safe Kids Member and Family Consumer Sciences and 4-H Extension Agent Tres Magner.

The first of two groups of Freedom Trail Elementary School students show off their new bicycle helmets with the collaboration that helped make it all possible. Standing in the back are Avery County Safe Kids Members including Aaron Williams, EMS Paramedic Melinda M. Williams, EMS member Everett Cornett, Sherriff Kevin Frye, EMS member Joielle Calhoun and Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Extension Agent Tres Magner. Prior to receiving the helmet, students watched an instructional video about bicycle safety and heard a short presentation by Magner. In the presentation, students were taught why wearing a helmet is important and how to make sure the helmet is properly fitted.



Family and Consumer Sciences and 4-H Extension Agent Tres Magner works with Payton Mayberry to adjust a helmet. Students who completed the educational piece divided into groups and were fitted for helmets, knee pads and elbow pads with the help of several Safe Kids Community Members, including Sherriff Kevin Frye, members of the local EMS team and Avery County Safe Kids Community Members.

Avery County Safe Kids chose to pursue the education and distribution of helmets because of the large number of injuries resulting in traumatic brain injury in children and the degree to which a helmet can help prevent such an injury. According to the Safe Kids website, nearly half of the hospital visits of children in 2002 resulted in a diagnosis of traumatic brain injury.

Helmets distributed to Freedom Trail Elementary YO! students were purchased through the help of a $300 donation from the Banner Elk Kiwanis.
The helmet distribution resulted in a collaborative effort between the Avery County EMS, the Avery County Sherriff’s Department, the Avery YO! program and the Avery County Safe Kids program.

Community citizens volunteering time for the free helmet presentation and distribution included Sheriff Kevin Frye; EMS members Everett Cornett, Paramedic Melinda M. Williams and Joielle Calhoun; Avery County Safe Kids members Tres Magner and Aaron Williams; Avery YO! Site Coordinators Alicia Hicks and Jen Mayberry, mentor Layce Lewis and 21st Century Community Learning Center Program Director, Jenna Crawley. Calhoun and Williams are also Safe Kids members.

Avery County Safe Kids is currently working with the YO! Program to distribute another 70 helmets to after school students around the county.