Organizations give away bicycle helmets

March 27, 2025

By Michelle Rodriguez

The Belton Journal

The Temple Children’s Museum hosted a free bicycle helmet and giveaway along with the Bell County Medical Alliance and Feed My Sheep on Saturday, March 15.

“The Bell County Medical Alliance and Feed My Sheep did child’s bicycle helmet measurements and giveaways. They also had free vision screenings. No admission charge to the museum was necessary. They also raffled a kid’s bike. We gave away free helmets in January and decided to do another one,” said Emily Smith, executive director of the TCM.

In January, they gave away 40 to 50 helmets.

Volunteer medical students, Taylor Hartshorne and Tony Ciampaglio were helping at the event.

“I’m here at the museum to help provide free helmets for protection during biking injuries. I’m in my second year. Volunteering with little kids counts towards the server’s learning organization and it’s part of the dean’s distinction,” said Hartshorne.

Helmets help keep kids safe. “It’s near and dear to my heart. I’m the past president. Covid put us (through) a few years of lapsed social events. Hard Hats For Little Heads is a statewide project of the Texas Medical Alliance. We’ve been doing it probably off and on for at least 20 years,” said BCMA board member Amee Tuggle.

In addition to the free helmets, BCMA does more in the community.

“We’ve been doing Meals on Wheels for over 40 years in the community. We do a book share program with the children’s hospitals and clinics. We helped with Covid vaccines, sewing masks, and getting meals for the physicians who are stuck at the hospital. We have our fingers in a number of events in order to further organizations in the community, and we’re just here to support health and health education among Bell County residents,” said Tuggle.

Dr. Stephen Ponder is a pediatric endocrinologist, with Feed My Sheep and the Bell County Medical Alliance was also at the event.

Past District Governor Lisle Meeker, Julia Dewitt, Sandra Meeker, and Treasurer Virginia Mattson with the Temple Breakfast Lion’s Club were doing the vision screenings and gave away books.

To find out when the next giveaway will be held, look up the Bell County Medical Alliance, Feed My Sheep, or the Temple Breakfast Lion’s Club’s websites for their events.