11 Years of Helmet Safety Education in Central Oregon
The Center Foundation is proud to announce the eleventh year of its annual Train Your Brain program. This injury prevention program educates more than 2,000 elementary school students in Central Oregon about brain injury prevention and the importance of helmet safety. Train Your Brain is made possible by the support of The Center Foundation’s community partners at First Interstate Bank, Summit Health and BendBroadband.
Risks of Brain Injury When Not Wearing a Helmet
“According Nationwide Children’s Hospital, 9 out of 10 bicyclists who die in crashes are not wearing helmets” said Stuart Schmidt, Program Manager of The Center Foundation. “Train Your Brain began eleven years ago to help prevent injuries here in Central Oregon by educating and engaging students in a fun program that they have come to look forward to. We are so grateful to the school districts for recognizing the importance of this safety initiative. A special thanks goes to our partners at First Interstate Bank, Summit Health and BendBroadband. Without their support, we could not reach our goal of providing a free helmet to every local third grader who needs one.”
Free Helmets
Each year, The Center Foundation gives away over 1,000 free helmets to local elementary students through the Train Your Brain initiative. This year, the program is excitedly returning to an in-person presentation for the first time since 2019! The presentation consists of an exciting interactive assembly that provides information on injury prevention, helmet safety, fitting and care; and features a suspenseful melon drop demonstration. Following the presentation, representatives from The Center Foundation and volunteers from our partners will properly fit free multi-sport helmets for every student who needs one.
“Bend-La Pine Schools is very fortunate to once again have The Center Foundation sponsor the Train Your Brain program,” said Skip Offenhauser, Executive Director of Elementary Programs for Bend-La Pine Schools. “As an avid cyclist myself, I am well aware of the hazards we all face while on our bikes. Wearing a helmet is a simple, but effective habit we need to teach all of our students. We want to thank The Center Foundation for providing these lessons and providing students with free helmets with the help of First Interstate Bank, Summit Health and BendBroadband. We couldn’t ask for better community partners that care about the safety of our kids!”
2022 Schedule
Train Your Brain 2022 kicks off April 27th to ensure students are prepared to enjoy summer activities in a safe manner. From April 27th – June 10th , staff from The Center Foundation will visit 35 elementary schools across Central Oregon.
To learn more about Train Your Brain, and to check out when we will be visiting your school head over to www.centerfoundation.org/brain-trust.