I emailed my friend Shane some questions about a non-profit organization that he is involved with in Calgary. The Pro-Hab Helmet Society wants you to know that you should love your brain.
WHAT IS PRO-HAB AND WHAT CAN THEY DO FOR ME?
Pro-hab is a non-profit organization aimed at promoting the use of bicycle helmets. We try to encourage people to wear helmets by overcoming the objections often used against helmet use - cost, and image barrier. We provide helmets on a by-donation basis, and we feel that by wearing a helmet while cycling you look more confident and it shows a lot of respect to those who care for you. We have a slogan, "safety is sexy" because we truly believe that you look smarter and more confident, and by wearing a helmet it shows that you care for yourself and those who care for you. Pro-hab can give you a brand new helmet in exchange for a cash donation of any amount.
HOW MUCH SHOULD I PAY FOR A PRO-HAB HELMET?
This is probably one of the most common questions, naturally. There is no recommended donation; the helmets cost us, on average, $25-$30, so any donation of a similar amount helps to perpetuate our program and get another helmet for someone else.
WHY IS IT IMPORTANT FOR PEOPLE TO WEAR BIKE HELMETS?
Wearing a helmet is akin to wearing a seat-belt while driving. It may not necessarily save your life, but it can. It's a small 'burden' to decrease your chances of sustaining a sever, or life-threatening, injury in the event of an accident.
SHANE, HOW DID YOU GET STARTED WITH PRO-HAB?
Pro-hab originally started in Vancouver. We adopted the model and opened up a chapter in Calgary following the death of my cousin, Dan Winnick, who was injured in an accident involving a motor-vehicle while cycling. Dan wasn't wearing a helmet. We hope to prevent this situation from happening again by promoting the use of helmets and making them more accessible to those who wouldn't ordinarily seek them out on their own. My main motivation is to save others from going through what i, my friends, and my family went through in coping with the loss of a loved one.
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Members of The Prohab YYC Team |
WHERE CAN I GET A HELMET? WHERE CAN I GET MORE INFORMATION?
We share an office with the Sled Island music festival at 2206a 4th st. SW. We don't have a full-time staff of volunteers, so if someone is looking to get a helmet from us they can fill out our helmet request form at
prohab.ca and we will contact them and arrange a time for a fitting. We can also be contacted via Facebook:
facebook.com/prohabyyc -or- twitter: @prohabyyc.
IS THERE ANYTHING ELSE THAT YOU WOULD LIKE TO ADD?
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Shane Rempel |
I guess our main point is: although wearing a helmet is a personal choice (we are not trying to change the law, because we support personal liberties) if you suffer a severe injury as a result of not wearing a helmet, such as brain damage or even death, it affects everyone who cares about you. One simple accident can be life-altering for you, your family and your friends. There is no good reason not to wear a helmet.
I was really stoked to do this blog post for Shane. It is not always easy for him to talk about what happened to his cousin. Shane has done a lot of good work getting the helmets to the people. The success of ProHab Helmet Society in Calgary can be attributed to the many people who volunteer their time to the organization and to Shane's passionate leadership.