Posts Tagged ‘Project KidSafe 2018’
Newton Tab: Attorney Ronald E. Gluck and Breakstone, White & Gluck Donate Bicycle Helmets to Children
Attorney Ronald E. Gluck was recently mentioned in his hometown newspaper for our firm’s Project KidSafe campaign encouraging children to wear bicycle helmets. Read the article.
Honoring Schools for Teaching Safe Walking and Biking
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to celebrate the Massachusetts Safe Routes to School Partnership today. Attorney David W. White joined a gathering at the State House which recognized schools for outstanding work in teaching children critical skills, how to walk and bike to school safely. The ceremony was a nice opportunity to learn about Safe Routes’ work over the past year and get a preview of what’s ahead.
Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign have supported Safe Routes’ work for the past four years. Wearing a bicycle helmet is one of the first lessons Safe Routes teaches children. We donate 400 bicycle helmets each year to help Safe Routes reach as many children as possible.
We make the donation, but Safe Routes’ coordinators choose which communities receive helmets, based on their unique knowledge of the communities. The program’s coordinators work all over the state, from Boston and Cambridge to Martha’s Vineyard to Western Massachusetts. In some cases, helmets are given to an entire class. In other cases, a Safe Routes coordinator will send a few helmets as needed.
Safe Routes programming is offered in all 50 states. In Massachusetts, the pilot program was first launched in 2000. With federal funding, the program was restructured in 2006 and became an initiative of the Massachusetts Department of Transportation and MassRIDES. More than a decade later, the program continues strong and is now offered in more than 800 schools in 206 communities in Massachusetts. Each program works to implement the Five E’s: Education, Encouragement, Enforcement, Evaluation and Engineering.
Students learn safety skills in school programs, special events and community events and rodeos. School programming includes Massachusetts Walk, Bike and Roll to School Day and the winter version, Winter Walk and Roll to School Day.
Diane Hanson, Mass Rides program director, spoke to start the ceremony. Keynote speaker was Jonathan Gulliver, the MassDOT Highway Commissioner. Pat Kelsey, outreach supervisor for MassRIDES, announced the school awards.
Attorney David W. White with Jennifer Ford, principal at Cambridge’s Peabody School, which received some of the Project KidSafe bicycle helmets.
Group photo on the Grand Staircase.
Attorney David W. White with Tom Francis, interim executive director of MassBike.
Attorney David W. White with Pat Kelsey, outreach supervisor for Mass Rides.
About Project KidSafe
Breakstone, White & Gluck founded Project KidSafe in 2013 and we have donated over 20,000 bicycle helmets to children. In addition to Safe Routes, we have partnered with over 40 schools, police departments, bicycle committees and community organizations mostly in the Boston area.
Why bicycle helmets? With decades of experience representing cyclists and those injured in motor vehicle crashes, our personal injury attorneys have seen the devastation caused by head injuries first hand. Young cyclists who are 16 and younger must wear bicycle helmets under Massachusetts law, but many ride without any protection. There are many reasons: helmets are expensive, hard to fit and cyclists (young and old) often say they are uncomfortable to wear. But through Project KidSafe, Breakstone, White & Gluck is committed to limiting and preventing head injuries in Massachusetts, and encouraging children to understand the importance of bicycle helmets early on.
Learn more about Breakstone, White & Gluck.
Learn more about Project KidSafe.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates Bicycle Helmets for Arlington Housing Authority Residents
We want to mention the volunteers from Highrock Church in Arlington, Grace Chapel in Lexington and the East Arlington Livable Streets Alliance, which recently organized a bike safety day in partnership with the Arlington Housing Authority. Volunteers gathered in early June, tuning up 65 bikes to help residents from Menotomy Manor ride safely.
The law firm of Breakstone, White & Gluck and our Project KidSafe campaign sent along 25 helmets for children who participated.
The Patriot Ledger Newspaper: Breakstone, White & Gluck Donates 200 Bicycle Helmets to the Quincy Police Department
Attorney David W. White with members of the Quincy Police Department Bike Patrol: Officer White, Officer Whedbee and Lieutenant Bina.
Attorney David W. White and Lieutenant Bina of the Quincy Police Department.
As part of our Project KidSafe campaign, Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to make a donation of 200 bicycle helmets to the Quincy Police Department this year. Attorney David W. White visited Quincy Police Department headquarters on June 14th and had a nice opportunity to speak to members of the Quincy Police bike patrol.
Read more about the donation in the Patriot Ledger newspaper (June 19, 2018).
Learn more about our attorneys and our Project KidSafe campaign.
Our Law Firm’s Commitment to Bicycle Safety for Somerville 5th Graders and Somerville Public Schools
For the fifth year, Somerville 5th graders have met our challenge. Our lawyers are pleased to send 370 students into summer with a free bicycle helmet from Project KidSafe, our campaign to encourage safe cycling and prevent head injuries.
The students earned the helmets by completing the CYCLE Kids curriculum, which teaches bicycle safety fundamentals. CYCLE Kids is offered as part of physical education classes at Somerville public schools. Through CYCLE Kids, some students in Somerville learn how to ride a bicycle for the first time. Others gain valuable experience or take other cycling firsts – such as riding with friends for the first time or their first ride on the Somerville Community Path.
“It’s all about your brain. Your brain is going to take you through life,” Attorney Ron Gluck told 5th graders at the Benjamin G. Brown School on Monday. “So protect your brain and it’s our pleasure to give you these helmets. You earned them, through your good work in learning about safety and bicycles.”
“It’s all about safety, but it’s also the law,” Somerville Police Officer Marianne Manfra added. In Massachusetts, cyclists who are 16 years old and younger are required to wear helmets. We urge all cyclists to wear helmets.
Shawn Maguire, principal of the Benjamin G. Brown School, Sharyn Von Trapp, the 5th grade physical education teacher and Steve Simolaris, supervisor of health and physical education at the Somerville public schools, all attended the gathering to recognize students for completing CYCLE Kids. Von Trapp handed students certificates of completion, while Attorney Gluck and Officer Manfra gave students their helmets (and we are pleased to report the students already knew how to fit their own helmets and some knew enough to help friends).
About Breakstone, White & Gluck and Project KidSafe
Attorneys Marc L. Breakstone, David W. White and Ronald E. Gluck founded our law firm in 1992. Breakstone, White & Gluck is a personal injury law firm and as part of our practice, our attorneys have long represented cyclists. We know wearing a bicycle helmet can make every difference in preventing head injuries and saving lives. Wearing a helmet is also a simple step anyone can take. We founded our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013 to encourage helmet use.
Over six years, our attorneys have given away more than 20,000 bicycle helmets to children in Massachusetts. Each year, we partner with CYCLE Kids and Somerville public schools, along with the Kiwanis Club of Somerville on its annual Bicycle Safety Day. One hundred cyclists turned out this year to learn cycling skills. The event was held last weekend at the East Somerville Community School.
We also partner with Groundwork Somerville, which gives our helmets to students who participate in summer programming and rely on their bikes for transportation throughout the day.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
The Boston personal injury lawyers of Breakstone, White & Gluck have over 100 years combined experience representing those who have been injured by the negligence or wrongdoing of others. To learn more about our attorneys, visit our website. For a free legal consultation, contact us at 800-379-1244 or 617-723-7676 or use our contact form.
Photos from Boston’s Bike to Work Festival 2018
Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to participate in Boston’s Bike to Work Festival on May 18, 2018. The City of Boston organizes this event each year to encourage and celebrate cycling. Cyclists can ride right into City Hall Plaza and enjoy a free breakfast and vendor tables. Our attorneys have participated in this event for the past few years and it’s always a fun way to close out Bay State Bike Week and Bike Month. This year, we set up our Project KidSafe tent and fit 70 free bicycle helmets for cyclists who needed one.
If you missed this year’s event, you can learn more on the City of Boston’s website. Read more about our Project KidSafe campaign on our website.
Here are a few photos from the event:
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- Attorney David W. White, Becca Wolfson, Executive Director of the Boston Cyclists Union and Attorney Marc L. Breakstone.
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- Blue Bikes. By year’s end, the public bike sharing system is gearing up to be 3,000 bikes strong.
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- From 2019 Bay State Bike Week: Attorney David W. White with Galen Mook, executive director of MassBike and Lee Toma, of Milton Bike.
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- The line for our Project KidSafe bike helmets!
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- Many cyclists rode in on group convoys.
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- Attorney David W. White and Attorney Marc L. Breakstone
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- Attorney Marc L. Breakstone with a cyclist at our Project KidSafe tent.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Makes Bike Month Donations in Framingham and Clinton
As National Bike Month ends, we finish a busy May for our Project KidSafe campaign. Six years have passed since we began our campaign and each year, Bike Month and Bay State Bike Week, get better and engage more people in Massachusetts. A few of our donations:
Framingham Earth Day. This event was held on April 28th. But it’s always the unofficial start of Bike Month for us. This was our fifth year participating in Framingham Earth Day and donating bicycle helmets from our Project KidSafe campaign to the kids. Attorney David W. White and Framingham Police Officer Garrett Coffin fit 150 helmets over the first two hours of the event. The rain stayed away so this year, we got to enjoy being out on the Framingham Center Common. Dozens of vendors came out, including several organizations for cyclists. We have to add: this is always a worthwhile event for cyclists. Friends of the Natick Trails, the Natick Cochituate Rail Trail and the Friends of the Bruce Freeman Rail Trail participated, giving cyclists a way to learn about the latest developments before riding.
We want to offer a special thanks to Officer Coffin of the Framingham Police Department. Garrett comes out each year. He is patient, good with people and has to be one of the best bicycle helmet fitters in Massachusetts.
Clinton Community Safety Rodeo. On May 5th, we were pleased to donate bicycle helmets at the Community Safety Rode in Clinton. This is the second year the town of Clinton Park & Recreation Department has organized the event. We are told last year, many children showed up with bikes, but were unable to participate because they didn’t have helmets. In Massachusetts, it’s not just good sense to wear a helmet. It’s required under the law for children (up to age 16). And as we said, it is important and good sense for all cyclists.
Lowell Students Ride Safely With New Bikes and Helmets
Students from Career Academy in Lowell riding new bikes and wearing new helmets.
Though snow fell this week, students from Career Academy in Lowell still managed to make the most of school vacation, fitting in a bike ride to Heart Pond in Chelmsford. This was a special ride because students were pedaling new bikes – and wearing new helmets. Breakstone, White & Gluck was pleased to donate the helmets from our Project KidSafe campaign.
The idea for the bike ride began with Bernice Chandler-Petrovick, who teaches biology. Some of her students needed bikes to get to school and travel more independently. She began teaching students about bicycle safety while also setting out on another goal: finding bikes for her students.
“Most of my students do not have bikes and cannot afford a new one,” she said. “The same is true for helmets.”
Then she found Elevate New England and Breakstone, White & Gluck. Elevate New England is a Lowell-based mentoring organization working with students and schools. The organization gathered used and new bikes, then refurbished the used ones like new for students.
Students can expect to hear more about bicycle safety at Career Academy. Chandler-Petrovick is now working to build a bike rack so students can safely park their bikes at the school. She hopes to expand the bicycle donation program next year.
“Thank you to everyone who helped make this possible,” Chandler-Petrovick said. “I worked with two strong community partners, Breakstone, White & Gluck and Elevate New England. We now have 14 students with bikes and each has a helmet. This project will make a difference for my students and their families.”
Breakstone, White & Gluck launched our Project KidSafe campaign in 2013, with a goal of protecting children from head injuries. Over the past six years, we have donated over 20,000 bicycle helmets, in partnership with police departments, schools and community organizations.
Bicycle Helmet Tips
Wearing a bicycle helmet is the most effective way to protect one’s head if they fall on a bicycle or are involved in bicycle crash. Though millions of Americans ride bikes, fewer than half wear bicycle helmets, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many states, including Massachusetts, have laws mandating bicycle helmets for younger cyclists. In Massachusetts, you must wear a helmet if you are 16 and younger. However, all cyclists are encouraged to wear helmets for safety and to prevent concussions and serious long-term head injuries.
If you are a parent, make sure everyone in your family has a helmet and they properly fit. Have your children wear one as soon as they get on a bike and wear one yourself so they will follow your lead.
Make sure your helmet is in good working condition. The helmet needs to be able to absorb an impact should you fall. Replace your helmet every few years at a minimum. Resist the urge to pass helmets down between siblings or friends. Helmets are expensive so we know this may be tempting. But you want to make sure the helmet is fit to protect you or your child.
Arlington Advocate: Pierce Students Get New Bike Helmets
Read about our recent bicycle helmet donation in the The Arlington Advocate.
Breakstone, White & Gluck Kicks Off 2018 Project KidSafe Campaign, Donates Bicycle Helmets to Children at Arlington Elementary School
Attorney Marc L. Breakstone helped deliver new bicycle helmets to Arlington fifth graders this week. He asked them to make a promise: to ride safely and always wear their helmets when riding to prevent head injuries.
“Now I’m not here to scare you. I’m here to inspire you, okay? … I want you all to be safe bicyclists,” Breakstone said.
[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=12SVi3PtvOU]
The bicycle helmets were a surprise gift for the 50 students at Pierce Elementary School’s bike safety training. MassBike, Massachusetts Safe Routes to School and the Arlington Police Department participated.
During his talk, Attorney Breakstone spoke to the students about the impact of concussions and his experience as a personal injury lawyer who has represented cyclists who have suffered head injuries.
“A concussion can affect you for your entire life,” he said.
Tom Francis, of MassBike, also urged students to wear their new helmets. “If it’s in your garage or hanging on the wall, your helmet is not doing any good. It has be to on your head.”
Francis covered a number of safety topics, including riding on sidewalks near pedestrians, hand signals and developing a routine.
“Be predictable when you ride your bike,” he said.
Since 2013, Breakstone, White & Gluck’s Project KidSafe campaign has donated more than 20,000 bicycle helmets to children in eastern Massachusetts. We kicked off the 6th year of our safety campaign in Arlington this week. It was our fifth year supporting Pierce Elementary School, where there are no school buses. Students walk, ride bicycles or are driven by their parents.
Through Project KidSafe, we are committed to helping children and families put on bicycle helmets. From our experience as attorneys and cyclists, we know helmets are critical to preventing concussions, traumatic brain injuries and deaths. We want to prevent injuries. For the next few months, we will be working with community partners throughout the Boston area to donate bicycle helmets and educate families about bicycle safety. Each helmet meets safety standards set by the Consumer Product Safety Commission and will be fitted by one of our attorneys or community partners.
Read about the donation in The Arlington Advocate.
About Breakstone, White & Gluck
At Breakstone, White & Gluck, our Boston personal injury lawyers fight for justice for those who have been seriously injured or killed by the negligence and wrongdoing of others. Please visit our website to learn more about our Project KidSafe campaign and our attorneys, Marc L. Breakstone, David W. White, Ronald E. Gluck and Reza Breakstone.
Photos, left to right: Mary Alice Vallarino, parent and event organizer, Attorney Marc L. Breakstone, Tom Francis of Mass Bike, Nicole Edmonds of Massachusetts Safe Routes to School and Macon Lockery, of The Bike Stop in Arlington.
