DURHAM -- This morning, underprivileged children in Durham will have something extra to smile about as they ride away on newly refurbished bicycles -- with newly donated helmets -- thanks to a public-private partnership with the city.
Lewis Days, better known as "The Bicycle Man," has been busily preparing for his annual giveaway of bicycles and helmets on Christmas Day. Since 2002, Days, a former recipient of services from the Northeast Central Durham Adopt-a-Neighborhood for Development (AND) Program, has been refurbishing and giving away bikes to underprivileged kids.
Unfortunately, this year's down economy had slowed donations and Days feared he would be unable to continue the holiday tradition that so many children benefit from in Durham.
When the city's North-East Central Durham Community Engagement Division in the Neighborhood Improvement Services Department learned of his plight, the staff collaborated with the Partnership for a Healthy Durham's Injury Prevention Committee to help secure donations of more than 70 new bicycle helmets. In addition, members of the Injury Prevention Committee will be on hand at the Christmas Day giveaway event today to properly fit helmets for the children when they receive their bicycles.
"Obesity and other chronic illnesses are major concerns in North-East Central Durham and a program that provides our kids with bicycles and helmets to help them stay active, which in turn will help to reduce obesity and prevent head injuries, is one that we have proudly supported in the past and why we stepped up to help again this year when we learned about the reduced donations," said Earl Phillips, assistant director for Community Engagement for the city's Neighborhood Improvement Services Department.
"The core of our mission is to help our neighborhoods and improve the quality of life for our residents. If we can help put smiles on the faces of our most at-risk children this Christmas, then that's what we're going to do. Many of these children would have nothing under the tree if it were not for this annual giveaway and the generous work of Lewis. It is our privilege to be able to help with this event and a blessing to us to know of the joy it brings to our youth."
The annual bike giveaway begins at 10 a.m. today at 1309 Fay Street, Durham. Anyone interested in making donations for this annual giveaway should contact Days at (919) 949-7708.
For more information about the North-East Central Durham Community Engagement Division in the City's Neighborhood Improvement Services Department, call Melva Henry at (919) 560-1647, ext. 34259, e-mail Melva.Henry@durhamnc.gov, or visit www.durhamnc.gov/departments/nis/necd/index_necd.cfm.
To learn more about the Partnership for a Healthy Durham's Injury Prevention Committee, call Mel Downey-Piper at (919) 560-7833 or visit www.healthydurham.org.
