GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two hundred children will receive a new bike helmet at no cost over the next two weeks as the Grand Rapids Griffins and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids host a pair of events to kick off the 15th summer of the Griffins’ “Put A Lid On It!” (PALOI) bike helmet safety program.

The fun begins with the 11th annual “Lids at the Library,” a two-day event held at branches of the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Kent District Library. KDL’s Kentwood Branch (4950 Breton Rd. SE) will be the site next Tuesday, June 19 at 2 p.m., while GRPL’s Van Belkum Branch (1563 Plainfield Ave. NE) will host the event on Tuesday, June 26 at 2 p.m.

Volunteers from the Griffins, Safe Kids and program sponsors will be on hand to properly fit these free helmets for the first 100 kids at each location. Helmets will be distributed to kids ages 1-12 (subject to availability), and a parent or legal guardian must be present for a child to receive a helmet. A variety of information from the Griffins and Safe Kids will also be available for pickup.

Every child fitted with a new helmet during “Lids at the Library” will also receive a free t-shirt and poster featuring a quote from former First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt that serves as this summer’s PALOI theme: “With Freedom Comes Responsibility.”

“Lids at the Library” is the centerpiece event of the Griffins’ award-winning PALOI program, which is presented by Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital. Since the program’s founding in 2004, the Griffins have worked with numerous local organizations – including police departments, pediatricians, schools, libraries, bike shops and sporting goods stores – to encourage helmet usage during wheeled sports, prevent head injuries, and reward kids who wear their helmets.

PALOI targets elementary and middle school students in a seven-county region of West Michigan. Children age 17 or younger who visit griffinshockey.com/putalidonit with parental permission and sign a pledge to always wear their helmet will be rewarded with a voucher for two free tickets to a 2018-19 Griffins game and be automatically registered for a drawing to win a new bike.

In addition to promoting helmet safety at local bike races and community events throughout the summer, the Griffins will soon distribute PALOI posters to hundreds of schools, libraries, medical offices and businesses throughout West Michigan. The Griffins have also provided their annual grant to Safe Kids, enabling that organization to purchase approximately 140 additional bike helmets for distribution through its other programs and events.

A schedule of 2018 PALOI events and additional information for parents, including tips for choosing a helmet and getting their child to wear it, are available at griffinshockey.com/putalidonit.

The “Put A Lid On It!” program is supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Centennial Securities, Huntington, Lighthouse Insurance, and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids. In celebration of the “Lids at the Library” kickoff on June 19 at the KDL Kentwood Branch, Huntington will have its ice cream truck on site that day to pass out free treats to library patrons.