By Staff
GETTING FITTED – Anne Stahl, left, helps fit Catherine Covington for a bicycle helmet while Chastity Bradshaw assists Abby Manasco with her helmet at the Summer Safety Shakedown sponsored by Rush Foundation Hospital. Photo by Paula Merritt/The Meridian Star
By Steve Gillespie / staff writer
July 11, 2002
More children in Meridian will be wearing bicycle helmets this summer thanks to Rush Foundation Hospital and the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi.
About 60 children 7 to 11 were fitted for helmets Wednesday during the Summer Safety Shakedown a three-day hospital program ending today in which they learned first aid, bike safety and other issues.
Jacob Ramage, 9, of Meridian, said he was glad to get a new bike helmet because he had been using his sister's helmet and it didn't fit properly.
Another participant, Kelli Blackwell, 11, of Meridian, said the program has been fun and educational at the same time.
Rush Foundation Hospital bought the helmets for the children; each child was fitted for a helmet and taught how to wear it through information provided by the Brain Injury Association of Mississippi.
Freda Arender, assistant director of the organization, which is based in Jackson, took part in the program.
Amy Ford, Rush's public relations director, said the Summer Safety Shakedown was designed to educate children, give them something to do this summer and expose them to different areas of the health care profession.
She said the hospital plans to make the program an annual event.