Pilot Club of Greater Long Island Donates Bicycle Helmets

The Pilot Club of Greater Long Island, through a matching grant from Pilot International Founders Fund (PIFF), recently presented Town of Brookhaven’s Safety Town with 24 bicycle helmets. Located at the Holtsville Ecology Site, Safety Town offers classroom and interactive road safety training for elementary students through teen drivers at its facility, which features roads with turning lane arrows; a railroad crossing; two one-way tunnels to teach children the dangers of one-way streets; and timed traffic lights.

According to Pilot International, approximately 40% of all bicycle-related deaths are due to head injuries; 75% of all bicycle related head injuries occur among children ages 14 and under; and many children are simply unable to protect their heads while bike riding because they don’t have access to quality, affordable safety helmets.

Pilot Club of Greater Long Island Past President, Eileen Swanberg, stated that "With the generosity of a grant from Pilot International, we have been able to assist Safety Town in providing 24 needed bicycle helmets for our youth who are attending Safety Town through their School Districts. Our organization’s focus is on brain safety and awareness. We already have a signature BrainMinders™curriculum to help students learn about brain safety and now we have another great program available with our safety helmet project.”

The staff of the Town of Brookhaven’s Safety Town expressed their thankfulness to the Pilot Club of Greater Long Island and Pilot International in providing these 24 bicycle helmets to students in our communities who are in need of them.

The Pilot Club of Greater Long Island identifies needs within our community and works to fulfill those needs. We have raised money at our annual fundraisers, which include a Pancake Breakfast, Comedy Night at McGuire’s, and various online sales to support AHRC, North Babylon High School Anchor Scholarship, United Veteran’s Beacon House, Family Service League, Long Island Against Domestic Violence and Pal O Mine. For more information or to get involved with the Pilot Club of Greater Long Island, please contact us at [email protected] or PO Box 99, Oakdale NY 11769.

Pilot International is a community-based volunteer service organization founded in 1921 in Macon, GA on the principles of “Friendship and Service.” The name “Pilot” was inspired by the mighty riverboat pilots of that day who represented leadership and guidance. With more than 7,200 members in almost 300 Pilot Clubs, Pilots can be found across the U.S., the Bahamas, Japan and South Africa. Pilots carry out their mission to “Do More, Care More and Be More” by providing financial and hands-on support for national and local initiatives in keeping with its causes of youth development & leadership; brain safety & fitness; and caring for families in times of need. In addition, there are over 7,500 school-level Anchor Club members worldwide. Through a professionally developed curriculum and strategic partnerships, Pilot encourages and provides opportunities for youth development & leadership.

Pilot International remains headquartered in Macon, where its staff serves its international constituency.