WESTFIELD-As more children take to the streets – on their bicycles – Westfield Kiwanians are hopeful to outfit all of the city’s third graders this spring with custom-fit helmets.
The Kiwanis Club of Westfield Bicycle Safety Program, started in 2014, has evolved over time from an original “Bike Rodeo” program.
“The Kiwanis Club used to do a Bike Rodeo every year and when I joined Kiwanis over 15 years ago, I got involved with the program we ran,” said Brad Cassin, who serves as chair of the Bike Safety Committee.
Brad Cassin posed with third graders last spring at the Franklin Avenue Elementary School after they received their fitted helmets, thanks to the generosity of the Kiwanis Club of Westfield and several local businesses. (Submitted photo)
Cassin, an avid cyclist who has traveled extensively from New England to Canada, understands the importance of learning the rules of the road – and wearing a fitted helmet.
In his research, Cassin realized other Kiwanis clubs sponsored helmet programs and he “liked the idea.”
“I wanted to take it a step further and actually fit the helmets to each child,” said Cassin. “There are too many children that are wearing helmets that are not fitted or sized correctly.”
In the first year of the program, 35 helmets were distributed and 163 were given out last spring.
“With the bike rodeo we were lucky to get 40 children to show up,” said Cassin. “There was very little interaction with the children to discuss bike safety and hand out helmets. With this new program, we had 163 children listening to a talk about bike safety and get fitted with a new helmet in about an hour.”
The KALI helmets will be purchased by Westfield Kiwanis through New Horizons Bikes in Westfield.
“The owners of New Horizons, Don Podolski and Mary MacAdam, are happy to work with us on this project and Mary helps out at most of the meetings at the schools,” said Cassin.
Cassin added this project fits into Kiwanis International’s goal of supporting programs for children around the world.
“Child safety is a key part of the mission of Kiwanis,” said Cassin.
Cassin said the initiative is a “team effort” every year to ensure a successful program. Working behind the scenes on logistics includes George Delisle, Katrina Dziedzic, Geana Delisle, Frank Sposito, Betty Sposito, Amanda Brodkin, Kellie Brown and members of the Friends of the Columbia Greenway Rail Trail.
Funding is critical to ensure all third graders in the city are fitted for helmets so businesses or individuals who would like to make a tax-deductible donation can send funds to Kiwanis Club of Westfield, P.O. Box 773, Westfield, MA 01086.
The club is also in the process of sending out requests for donations to organizations that have helped in the past as well as a “few new ones.”
Cassin and his team plan to distribute helmets around Bay State Bike Week, May 11-19.
“We will meet at each school, discuss bike safety, and then fit each child with a helmet,” said Cassin, adding that each helmet costs $15.
“I like to say, $15 puts a lid on a kid,” he said.
