They were ready to roll. Strapping on their helmets, students across the nation participated in the annual Bike to School day.
At Audubon Park K-8 School families rode to school together sporting safety helmets, flags, bike bells and smiles. Upon arriving on campus, the Safe Kids event was full of prizes, safety swag and dancing mascots. (This video has no spoken word.)
The Bike to School day promotes safe and fun biking habits. With Orlando being one of the worst cities in the United States for bicyclist and pedestrian safety, safety officials want families to recognize the importance of wearing a helmet. Many serious injuries could be prevented by simply wearing a helmet.
The district’s partnership with
Safe Kids Orange County, Winter Park Health Foundation,
Safe Routes to School,
Florida Ped Bike Safety Resource Center, Best Foot Forward, Arnold Palmer Hospital and The Children’s Safety Village helped made this bike safety event possible.
Trained helmet fitters, via the Florida Department of Transportation program, fit and provided helmets to students who needed one.
After the main event, five students received a special surprise. Community activist
Rob Greenfield gave these once unlucky kids a new bike, helmet and lock - which made for a lucky day. Greenfield was once the victim of a bike thief and knew what it was like to have to go without one. In a strange occurrence of events, Greenfield found the culprit and his
bike, and rather than be mad at the person, he showed him compassion. That compassion for others is what Greenfield wanted to share with the students. He’s hopeful one day they will each pay it forward.