"HEADS
UP FOR SAFETY " WORKS
TO PROTECT KIDS
Here
are some shocking statistics:
in 2002, almost 300,000 children
age 14 and younger were treated
in emergency rooms for bicycle
related injuries. In
2003 alone, 622 bicyclists
were killed, with children
under the age of 14 accounting
for 21% of those fatalities. According
to the Bicycle Helmet Safety
Institute (BHSI), a bicycle
helmet reduces the risk of
serious head and brain injury
by 85%. Yet only 1
out of 5 children under the
age of 14 wears a bicycle
helmet. Unfortunately,
the message is not getting
through, as there are far
too many children who do
not wear bike helmets -- a
decision that could result
in their death or permanent
disability.
In
order to do something about
this dangerous situation,
the Sinas Dramis Law
Firm has partnered
with three other concerned
community groups to sponsor
an annual bike helmet giveaway
event officially known as "Heads
Up For Safety." In
addition to the Sinas
Dramis Law Firm, the
other co-sponsors are the Origami
Brain Injury Rehabilitation
Program; ABC TV Channel 53;
and the Michigan Trial
Lawyers Association. The 4
th Annual Heads Up For Safety event
took place on Saturday, May
20, 2006 at the Marshall
Street Fire Station in Lansing
and was the most successful
since the program began. This
year, Heads Up For Safety fitted
approximately 500 children
with free bike helmets. Twenty
five Sinas Dramis attorneys
and staff members along with
volunteers from the other
three co-sponsors contributed
their time and energy to
help make this year's event
a smashing success! The
bicycle helmets that were
given away to the children
who attended were donated
by the Sinas Dramis Law
Firm.
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Lansing
sports celebrity, Hondo Carpenter,
was the Master of Ceremonies. City
of Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero
was a special guest. The
firemen at the Marshall Street
Fire Station provided tours
of the station house and
the fire trucks for all who
attended, giving them a better
idea of the important work
done by our local firefighters. In
addition, an officer from
the Lansing Police Department
K-9 Unit brought an official
police dog to meet the children.
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In
addition to giving away free
bike helmets, Heads Up
For Safety also gave
away eight new children's
bicycles which were donated
by the Sinas Dramis Law
Firm, Origami, MTLA,
and Child Health Partners. In
addition, many items of signed
sports memorabilia were donated
by Major League Collectibles and
were also given away. For
refreshments, Cottage
Inn Pizza provided
pizza for the hungry crowd
and Origami provided
bottled water. The Sinas
Dramis Law Firm is
proud of the role it plays
in the annual Heads Up
For Safety event and
believes this program has
done much to enhance the
safety of Lansing area children. Hopefully,
the program will be a long-lasting
tradition in our community.
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