With a $6,000 grant from the Riedel Foundation, any Hannibal child in need of a bicycle helmet who attends the 2025 Ride Cool event will receive one free of charge. Ride Cool is an annual event that educates children and their parents about the importance of bicycle safety, especially the use of helmets to prevent serious injuries.
Ride Cool will take place from 10 a.m. to noon on Saturday, May 31 outside the Blessing Health Hannibal Clinic. It is supported by Blessing Hospital and organized and staffed by a group of volunteers, including physicians, healthcare workers, community organizations, and businesses. The event promotes safe physical activity and play. Organizers expect about 250 people to attend, and every child will receive a properly fitted helmet.
“Without this program, some children would not have access to good-quality, properly fitted helmets,” said Dr. Susan Meidl, who chairs the Ride Cool committee. “This program also reduces the risk of serious injuries in children related to bike riding by focusing on bicycle safety.”
There is strong evidence that helmet promotion programs increase children’s likelihood of wearing helmets while bicycling. Studies show wearing a helmet can reduce fatal and non-fatal head and face injuries for bicyclists, yet only 45% of youth always wear a helmet.
The Riedel Foundation has supported Ride Cool for more than 20 years, with its portion of funding helping to supply about two thousand helmets over the years.