Press Release

DOH-Monroe and Partners Fit 120 Students with Bicycle Helmets At Safety Education Event

May 28, 2026 3 min read

Share:

For media inquiries: Jennifer Lefelar • jennifer.lefelar@flhealth.gov • 305-434-5413

Monroe County, Fla. – On March 30, 2026, the Florida Department of Health in Monroe County (DOH-Monroe), in partnership with multiple community organizations, successfully fitted 120 students at Marathon Middle High School in Marathon with free, properly fitted bicycle helmets during a large-scale bicycle and pedestrian safety education event.

This effort brought together DOH-Monroe, the Monroe County School District (MCSD), Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s WalkSafe/BikeSafe program, Key Colony Beach Police Department, and Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. The free helmets were provided through the Florida Pedestrian and Bicycling Safety Resource Center (PedBike SRC), funded by the Florida Department of Transportation.

“This was our second opportunity to coordinate an event of this scale at a Monroe County school like this in a single day,” said Ivona Coleman, community health improvement manager for DOH-Monroe. “We are excited to schedule more MCSD schools for additional bicycle and pedestrian safety education events for the next school year. Our vision is to provide this education and free resources to every student in our county.”

“This is the first time we’ve hosted a bike helmet safety event of this scale here at Marathon Middle High School, and we’re grateful that DOH-Monroe and their many community partners were able to bring this education and these important safety resources directly to our kids,” said Deputy Darlene Pointer, School Resource Officer.  “I talk to our students all the time about the importance of wearing a properly fitted bicycle helmet, so I was especially glad that this event reinforced that message and allowed them to hear it from other trusted community leaders as well.”

###

Marathon Middle High Event Picture 1
Community partners representing the following organizations: DOH-Monroe, Monroe County Sheriff’s Office (MCSO), University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s WalkSafe/BikeSafe program, Key Colony Beach Police Department, Florida Keys Children’s Shelter. (Photo by Jennifer Lefelar, Public Information Officer, DOH‑Monroe.)
Marathon Middle High Event Picture 2
Elizabeth Cabrera from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s WalkSafe/BikeSafe program and School Resource Officer Deputy Darlene Pointer give an educational presentation to the students. (Photo by Jennifer Lefelar, Public Information Officer, DOH‑Monroe.)
Marathon Middle High Event Picture 3
Declan Merryman and Danny Diaz are among the Marathon Middle School students who participated in the event. (Photo by Jennifer Lefelar, Public Information Officer, DOH‑Monroe.)
Marathon Middle High Event Picture 4
Elizabeth Cabrera from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine’s WalkSafe/BikeSafe program gives helmet stickers to Marathon Middle School students Whitney Kissick, Casey Torres, Chadiel Rojas Guerra, Jacob Torna-Parrado and Cannon Christensen, (Photo by Jennifer Lefelar, Public Information Officer, DOH‑Monroe.)
Marathon Middle High Event Picture 5
DOH-Monroe’s Ivona Coleman and Dana Portillo fit Carter Ruddy and Johnathon Paul Jr. for new bicycle helmets. (Photo by Jennifer Lefelar, Public Information Officer, DOH‑Monroe.)

###

About the Florida Department of Health

The Department, nationally accredited by the Public Health Accreditation Board, works to protect, promote, and improve the health of all people in Florida through integrated state, county, and community efforts. Follow us on X at @HealthyFla and on Facebook. For more information about the Florida Department of Health, visit FloridaHealth.gov