SPOKANE, Wash. — Lorrie Engle co-founded an organization that gives helmets to children.
She helped start the organization after her granddaughter, Marissa Droke, fell off her bike.
“She was riding that bicycle, and when she fell, she hit the back of her head in a way that caused her not to be able to come back,” Engle said.
Marissa wasn’t wearing a helmet.
Seven years after the incident, her family is taking this lesson and passing it on to others.
They started the organization Marissa’s Lids for Kids.
“We pass out helmets from toddler size, up to large,” Engle said. “We give them to any kid.”
They hold events and partner with organizations to give them to children and adults, regardless of their financial status.
The Liberty Lake Police Department was one of the recipients. The organization gave the department 20 helmets to hand out to children the officers see every day.
“It means a lot,” said Sgt. Darin Morgan. “Especially when you’ve had a young one lose their life, it really means a lot to make sure the kids stay safe.”
Through its events and partnerships, Engle said they pass out more than 500 helmets every year.
“This is the good that came out of the bad,” Engle said. “One lady was telling me that her son fell, and the helmet actually cracked. But he didn’t have any injuries from that.”
The organization’s next event is on May 11 at Stormin Norman’s bar. It will be a fundraiser where they also give out helmets.