Officers continue partnership with OU and DQ to promote bike safety

This summer marks the 8th consecutive year of Opportunities Unlimited’ s partnership with the Sioux City Police Department and local Siouxland Dairy Queens through the "You’ve Been Ticketed" program. As an extension of OU’s Gotta Brain, Getta Helmet program, "You’ve Been Ticketed" is designed to encourage children to wear helmets while riding their bikes. If children are seen wearing their helmets while riding bikes, scooters, skateboards, etc. by either the Sioux City Police Officers or Volunteer Trailblazers, they will receive a ticket for one free Dairy Queen ice cream cone. This partnership benefits all parties involved. Children who are practicing proper bicycle safety are rewarded with a sweet treat, Police Officers can connect with more children in a positive and supportive manner, and Dairy Queen promotes community outreach.

Jennifer McCabe and Susan Vondrak with Opportunities Unlimited speak at a press conference about the You’ve Been Ticketed program where officers will give kids wearing helmets “tickets” good for a free Dairy Queen ice cream cone.

Opportunities Unlimited also benefits from "You've Been Ticketed" by promoting brain injury awareness in the Siouxland Community. President and CEO, Jennifer McCabe states, "It is our hope that if we prevent just one brain injury, we feel like it's been a success. Through Gotta Brain, Getta Helmet and "You've Been Ticketed", just a couple of local programs, we are able to further support our mission and spread awareness of brain injury prevention."

The Sioux City Police Department is also looking for new volunteers to assist on the bike trails and has mountain bikes available for the volunteers to use if they would like, and each volunteer is given a new bike helmet. Volunteer Coordinator, Rita Donnelly, commented, "We are looking for additional volunteers to help provide a friendly presence on the bike trails, (and hand out "tickets") so if anyone is interested in becoming a volunteer for the Police Department, they may call us at 712-279-6424".

Wearing a helmet could earn kids free ice cream

This summer, officers and volunteers with the Sioux City Police Department will be on the lookout for kids wearing helmets while biking so that they can give them a ticket….that is good for a free ice cream cone from Dairy Queen.

The Sioux City Police Department has partnered with Opportunities Unlimited and Dairy Queen for the 7th year of the “You’ve Been Ticketed” program which promotes brain injury awareness and prevention with kids.

The “You’ve Been Ticketed” effort is an extension of the Opportunities Unlimited Gotta Brain, Get a Helmet program which further support their mission and spread awareness.

Last summer, 250 “tickets” were handed out to kids for wearing helmets by officers and members of the department’s Trailblazers.

The Trailblazers are a volunteer group coordinated through the Sioux City Police Department to ride bikes on the trails and report any issues or graffiti.

“We are looking for additional volunteers to help provide a friendly presence on the bike trails and hand out “tickets””, said Rita Donnelly, volunteer coordinator for the department.

Trailblazer volunteers are provided helmets, shirts, and bikes if needed.

Anyone interested in volunteering for Trailblazers or any of the volunteer opportunities with the department can contact Rita Donnelly at 712-279-6424 or email her at rdonnelly@sioux-city.org.

Ashley Phelps with Dairy Queen presents Officer Jeff Demetri and Trailblazers volunteer Daniel Ford with “Tickets” for free ice cream at a press conference on April 16, 2021.