Over the past eight years, Amscot has given away more than 30,000 free bike helmets to families living in Central Florida. The company is partnering with law enforcement agencies from 13 Florida counties to make sure that children get this vital protection.
Tampa, FL – (October 12, 2009) –Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, will donate and distribute 7,200 free bike helmets on Oct. 23 in 13 Florida counties where the company operates branch locations.
The helmets are available in three sizes: small, medium and large and are being targeted towards children in pre-school and elementary school. They will be distributed from 9 a.m. to noon by Amscot Financial managers and by law enforcement personnel in the parking lots of the locations listed below.
According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Florida leads the nation in bicycle-related deaths. In 2008, the most recent year statistics are available, 125 bicycle-related deaths were recorded in Florida. National records indicate that more than 91 percent of all bicyclists killed are not wearing helmets. Moreover, helmet use has been estimated to reduce head injury risk by 85 percent.
This marks the eighth year that Amscot Financial has donated and distributed free bike helmets in counties where it does business.
“We feel strongly that every child who rides a bike ought to have a helmet,” said Ian MacKechnie, founder and CEO of Amscot Financial. “Wearing a properly fitted bike helmet is a very simple, common sense thing to do. We hope that kids take their helmets home and wear them every single time they get on their bike.”
For more information on how to obtain helmets, please contact Montrae Waiters, governmental affairs specialist for Amscot at (813) 637-6277.
Founded in 1989, Amscot Financial employs more than 2,500 associates who work at the company’s 174 retail branches and at the company’s corporate headquarters in Tampa. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.
Amscot Financial is The Money Superstore™, offering an array of convenience-oriented financial services, including the cashing of personal checks, out-of-state checks and government checks; cash advances; Western Union wire transfers, notary services, pre-paid debit cards, free money orders income tax preparation. Amscot Financial also allows customers to make bill payments to more than 200 different utilities, municipal governments, cable and telephone companies.
Locations for the bike helmet giveaway include the following Amscot branches:
Brevard County
- 1515 Palm Bay Rd. NE, Palm Bay
Hardee County
- 1530 U.S. Highway 17 North, Wauchula
Hernando County
- 11148 Springhill Drive, Spring Hill
Highlands County
- 1203 U.S. Highway 27 North, Sebring
Hillsborough County
- 105 W Alexander Street, Plant City,
- 7731 Palm River Road, Tampa
- 8231 W. Hillsborough, Tampa
- 2301 Fowler Ave., Tampa
Manatee County
- 3611 1st Street East, Bradenton
- 737 8th Avenue West, Palmetto
Orange County
- 939 N. Semoran Blvd., Orlando
- 2033 Americana Blvd., Orlando
Osceola County
- 1021 Buenaventura Blvd., Kissimmee
- 1120 W. Vine Street, Kissimmee
Pasco County
- 3416 U.S. Highway 19 North, Holiday
- 7707 Gall Boulevard, Zephyrhills
Pinellas County
- 6800 Central Avenue, St. Petersburg
- 2551 34th St. S., St. Petersburg
- 6596 Park Blvd., Pinellas Park
- 1825 Gulf To Bay, Clearwater
Polk County
- 111 Cypress Gardens Blvd., Winter Haven
- 614 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland
Sarasota County
- 4206 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota
Volusia County
- 979 W. International Speedway Blvd., Daytona Beach
- 2177 Howland Blvd, Deltona
About Amscot Financial
Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is The Money Superstore™, providing income tax preparation and electronic filing services, refund anticipation loans, prepaid debit cards, check cashing services, cash advance services, bill payment services, money transfer services and money orders. Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that allows owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard™. Amscot Financial currently operates 174 Money Superstores throughout Florida and employs more than 2,000 people. Amscot Financial has been recognized by the Tampa Bay Business Journal as one of Tampa Bay’s Best Places to Work for four consecutive years. For additional information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.amscotfinancial.com.
For more information, please contact:
Joe Kilsheimer, Public Relations, at (407) 880-2512 or