GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Two hundred children will receive a new bike helmet at no cost next week through signature events that are part of the 23rd summer of the Grand Rapids Griffins’ “Put A Lid On It!” (PALOI) bike helmet safety program, presented by Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.

The Griffins’ 18th annual “Lids at the Library” bike helmet giveaways will be held in partnership with the Grand Rapids Public Library and the Kent District Library. KDL’s Plainfield Township Branch (2650 5 Mile Rd. NE) will host the event on Monday, July 13 from Noon-1 p.m., while GRPL’s Seymour Branch (2350 Eastern Ave. SE) will be the site on Wednesday, July 15 from 2-3 p.m.

Volunteers from the Griffins, Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital’s Injury Prevention Program, and PALOI sponsors will be on hand to properly fit these free helmets for the first 100 kids at each event. 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. Every child fitted with a new helmet will also receive a free t-shirt, and information from the Griffins and Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital will be available for pickup. In addition, Monday’s event will feature free bike flags courtesy of Riding For Ryan, whose mission is to promote the safety of young bike riders through visibility and awareness.

In celebration of the United States Semiquincentennial, this year’s PALOI t-shirt features an abstract bicycle and rider that form a stylized “250,” with each wheel’s 13 spokes – representing the Thirteen Colonies – evoking fireworks. The words “FREEDOM FOR ALL” are printed below the graphic, highlighting the centuries-long promise made by both our country and a simple bike.

Since its founding in 2004, the Griffins’ PALOI program has 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 2026-27 Griffins game and be automatically registered for a drawing to win a new bike next spring.

Later this summer, the PALOI program will be involved with the Grand River Shootout, two days of bike racing composed of the Creston Criterium in Grand Rapids on Saturday, Aug. 1, and the Gaslight Criterium in East Grand Rapids on Sunday, Aug. 2. Both events will include free races for younger kids – 5:20 p.m. on Saturday and 2:20 p.m. on Sunday – as well as sanctioned junior races for boys and girls from ages 9-18. For more information, please visit grandrivershootout.com.

The Griffins will also provide their annual grant to Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital’s Injury Prevention Program, enabling that organization to purchase approximately 140 additional bike helmets for distribution through its other programs and events. 

Additional information for parents is available at griffinshockey.com/putalidonit.

The “Put A Lid On It!” program is supported by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Centennial Securities, Huntington Bank, McDonald’s, Meijer, and Safe Kids Greater Grand Rapids.