Safety in Every Season: Iowa Great Lakes Board of REALTORS® Launches 2026 Helmet Drive

Safety in Every Season: Iowa Great Lakes Board of REALTORS® Launches 2026 Helmet Drive

For the Iowa Great Lakes Board of REALTORS®, giving back isn’t a one-time effort. 

Each year, the Community Outreach Committee gathers to ask a simple but powerful question: How can we best serve our community right now?

After two successful years of providing life jackets to local families, 2026 brought a new idea: but one that kept the same mission of protection.

“This spring, our Community Outreach committee wanted to switch it up and stick with the theme of Safety for kids but move away from the life jacket drive we had been doing,” said Krista Stafford, executive officer for IGLBOR. “They decided they wanted to give out bike helmets instead. Every kid can use a bike helmet, whether they're on a bike, scooter, hoverboard, or something else, so we thought it would be the perfect project.”

The group began by asking REALTOR® members to donate either a helmet or the funds to purchase helmets.

The idea quickly gained momentum. Throughout the month of March, REALTOR® members across the region stepped up. By the end of the drive, the committee had gathered an impressive total: 114 helmets ready to be placed in the hands of local kids.

To make the giveaway day something truly memorable, the committee partnered with a beloved local staple: Shaw’s Ice Cream Truck. 

“We asked if they would be willing to join us for the pick-up event,” Stafford said. “Now nobody could miss us if they were driving by, and kids had stars in their eyes when they walked out with a twin pop and a new bike helmet. The joy on their faces was so unforgettable!” 

During the three hour pick-up event, nearly all the helmets found new homes. The remaining items were donated to the Clay County Head Start program.

While the format may evolve from year to year, one thing is certain: the theme is here to stay.

“It’s safe to say our spring drive will always focus on Safety for Kids,” Stafford said. “But the success of the bike helmet drive definitely rivaled or maybe topped our life jacket drive of years past. We can't thank our REALTOR® members who donated enough for making this possible!”