The Center Foundation in partnership with the Bank of the Cascades (BOTC) and Bend Memorial Clinic (BMC), will be giving away 1,200 bike helmets to 3rd grade students at 14 elementary schools in the Bend La Pine School District. The helmet giveaway is in conjunction with The Center Foundation’s educational program, Train Your Brain, which aims to raise awareness of brain safety to help prevent head injuries in Deschutes County. Free helmet giveaways will take place from May 9 – June 9, 2016.
“For the past 12 years we have been educating kids on the importance of helmet use and brain and spinal cord injury prevention. Thanks to our recent partnership with BMC, BOTC, and Bend La Pine School District, we are now able to reach our goal of presenting free helmets to all elementary schools” said Sonja Donohue, Executive Director for The Center Foundation.
Each year, about 400,000 children under the age of 15 are treated in U.S. hospital emergency rooms for bicycle-related injuries. An additional 300 children are killed. Bicyclists ages 5 through 14 have among the highest injury rates of all riders. Helmets provide the best protection against injury, whether a child is riding a bike, scooter, skateboard, or using skates. Wearing a helmet can reduce the risk of severe brain injuries by up to 88%.
“Brain injuries are often life-threatening and life-changing,” said Katy Wooderson, Marketing Director for BMC. “We believe by partnering with The Center Foundation’s Train Your Brain program to offer education and free helmets, we can help prevent brain injuries and ensure children in our community are participating safely in activities they enjoy.”
Wearing a helmet should be an automatic habit for anyone, regardless of their age. It’s important that the helmet be fitted to each person. If purchasing a helmet for a child, be sure to take the child along. A child may be more likely to wear a helmet if they pick it out and it’s fitted properly. If a child participates in numerous wheeled sports be sure to choose a multi-sport helmet.
“Supporting the health of our community is a priority,” said Julie Miller, Executive Vice President, Oregon Region President for Bank of the Cascades. “Through this partnership with The Center Foundation and BMC we are keeping kids safer, which is a great investment for our organization.”
About The Center Foundation
Formed in 2001 by physicians at The Center for Orthopedic & Neurosurgical Care & Research in Bend, Oregon, we believe that keeping kids active and involved in sports is important to their overall physical, social, and educational development. The Center Foundation is Central Oregon’s only non-profit solely dedicated to providing sports medicine as a means to ensure youth are safe, healthy, and protected in an active lifestyle. To learn more visit www.centerfoundation.org.
About Bank of the Cascades
Bank of the Cascades is the principal subsidiary of Cascade Bancorp (NASDAQ: CACB). Headquartered in Bend, Oregon, Bank of the Cascades delivers personalized relationship banking, competitive financial products and advanced technology applied for the convenience of customers. Founded in 1977, Bank of the Cascades offers full-service community banking through 37 branches in Central Oregon, Southern Oregon, Willamette Valley and Southwest Idaho. Throughout its history, the bank has been recognized for its long-standing tradition of corporate philanthropy. For more information, www.botc.com
About Bend Memorial Clinic
Bend Memorial Clinic includes more than 130 providers representing 30 specialties including Urgent Care, Primary Care, Specialty Care, Imaging and Clinical Services. With five locations BMC is the largest multi-specialty group in Central Oregon and provides quality, convenient healthcare known as TotalCare™. The Clinic has provided primary and specialty care since 1946. For more information, please visit www.bendmemorialclinic.com.
Sonja Donohue
Executive Director | The Center Foundation | www.centerfoundation.org
t. 541-322-2399
c. 541-948-5551
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