Hawks, Helmets and Handlebars event to focus on bicycle safety, healthy habits

WESTWOOD—The University of Kansas Alumni Association and the KU Medical Center will provide free bicycle helmets to the first 150 children present at the eighth annual Hawks, Helmets and Handlebars event from 10 a.m. to noon June 4 at the KU Cancer Center’s Westwood Campus, 2330 Shawnee Mission Parkway.

For the third year, the KU Alumni Association will partner with Healthy Hawks, a program of the KU Medical Center’s Department of Pediatrics that helps children and families overcome issues related to weight. The Alumni Association worked with Healthy Hawks to host two bicycle donation days to collect and repair used bicycles, which will be distributed at the event to Healthy Hawks families in need. KU alumni volunteers from the Alumni Association’s Greater Kansas City Area Network are helping to organize the event.

There is no cost to attend Hawks, Helmets and Handlebars, but the quantity of bicycle helmets is limited. Children must be present to obtain their helmet. All children attending will have an opportunity to pick up goodies from the KU Alumni Association and receive a special certificate signed by the Baby Jay mascot.

Hospital Heroes and the Concussion and Trauma teams from the KU Medical Center will attend the event to professionally fit the bicycle helmets, and the Johnson County Fire Department and MedAct will set up a bicycle safety obstacle course and offer fire safety tips for families.