More than one hundred children in South King County will be riding their bicycles more safely this summer thanks to a terrific trio from Valley’s Rehabilitation Services department. On June 23 at Les Gove Park in Auburn, Physical Therapists Angie Norman and Julie Gazzoli, along with community volunteer Alan McArthur, fit low cost helmets and shared safety tips to parents and children during the city’s huge Kids Day Festival.
With tape measures in hand and boxes of helmets in various sizes, the three were quickly flooded with customers. Waves of visitors were steady throughout the day, with some also bringing their helmets from home for a safety check. In all, the team sold 104 custom-fit helmets and safety-checked another 11 for a total of 115 helmets during the five-hour event.
Angie not only fits helmets but has been a long-time coordinator of Valley’s bike helmet fitting program, helping recruit and train volunteers, and managing supplies. On her off time, Angie can be found crafting. Her newest find is the gelli plate, a new way to print color and texture on paper and fabric!
Julie often participates in Valley outreach events, both fitting helmets and working at information booths. She always greets visitors with an energetic smile. When Julie isn’t at work she enjoys spending time with her family.
Alan is a long-time helmet fitting volunteer who recently retired from Boeing after decades of service in their computers division. He enjoys living an active lifestyle and is an avid and knowledgeable cyclist.
Valley Medical Center’s Rehabilitation department staffs multiple bike helmet fitting events each year, providing more than 18,000 helmet fittings since the program began some 10 years ago.
