Amscot Financial Distributes Free Bicycle Helmets

PRESS RELEASE

Amscot Financial Partners With Law Enforcement to Distribute 4,160 Bike Helmets in 12 Mid-Florida Counties

Over the past seven years, Amscot has given away more than 25,000 free bike helmets to families living in Central Florida. The company is partnering with law enforcement agencies from 12 Florida counties to make sure that children get this vital protection.

TAMPA, Fla., Oct. 9 /PRNewswire/ -- Amscot Financial, a leading provider of convenient, consumer-oriented financial services, will donate and distribute 4,160 free bike helmets on Oct. 22 in 12 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 6 to 10 a.m. by Amscot Financial managers and law enforcement personnel in the parking lots of the locations listed below.

According to law enforcement statistics, more than 100 bicycle-related deaths occur every year in the state of Florida. National records indicate that more than 94 percent of all bicyclists killed are not wearing helmets. This marks the seventh 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 2,000 associates who work at the company's 174 retail branches and at the company's corporate headquarters in Tampa.

Amscot Financial's service centers are open seven days a week and are typically open Mondays through Saturdays from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m. Sunday hours are typically from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. Select Amscot locations are open 24 hours a day. The company currently operates retail locations in Hillsborough, Pinellas, Pasco, Hernando, Polk, Hardee, Highlands, Manatee, Sarasota, Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Volusia and Brevard counties.

Locations for the bike helmet giveaway include the following Amscot branches:

 -- Hardee

   -- 1530 U.S. Highway 17 North, Wauchula

 -- Hernando

   -- 11148 Springhill Drive, Spring Hill

 -- Highlands

   -- 1203 U.S. Highway 27 North, Sebring

 -- Hillsborough
   -- 105 West Alexander Street, Plant City
   -- 7731 Palm River Road, Tampa

   -- 8409 North Florida Avenue, Tampa

 -- Manatee
   -- 3611 1st Street East, Bradenton
   -- 3400 W Manatee Avenue, Bradenton

   -- 737 8th Ave. West, Palmetto

 -- Orange

   -- 939 North Semoran Blvd., Orlando

 -- Osceola

   -- 1021 Buenaventura Blvd., Kissimmee

 -- Pasco
   -- 3416 U.S. Highway 19 North, Holiday

   -- 7707 Gall Blvd., Zephyrhills

 -- Pinellas
   -- 6800 Central Ave., St. Petersburg
   -- 11156 Starkey Road, Largo
   -- 6585 102nd Ave N, Pinellas Park

   -- 1825 Gulf To Bay, Clearwater

 -- Polk
   -- 4314 US Hwy 98 North, Lakeland.

   -- 614 E. Memorial Blvd., Lakeland

 -- Sarasota
   -- 4206 Bee Ridge Road, Sarasota

   -- 560 N Washington Blvd., Sarasota

 -- Volusia
   -- 2405 N. Atlantic Avenue, Daytona Beach

   -- 2177 Howland Blvd., Deltona


 About Amscot Financial

Headquartered in Tampa, Fla., Amscot Financial is a leading provider of 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 through its wholly owned division, Amscot International Money Order Company. Amscot also offers the Amscot Card, a pre-paid debit card that allows owners to make purchases from any location that accepts MasterCard(TM).

Amscot Financial currently operates 174 tax preparation offices and 174 retail financial service centers 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.

CONTACT: Joe Kilsheimer, Joe Kilsheimer Consulting, Inc.,
+1-407-880-2512, joe@jkconsultinginc.com

Web Site: http://www.amscotfinancial.com/

Comments

[Janice Brown]

Hi my name is Janice Brown, I am delighted about the services that you provided in your cities to make a safe environment for all children to wear a bicycle helmet. I am an early childhood Headstart teacher work for a nonprofit organization and would like to know do you contribute only to your community and cities? I am a resident of Georgia and I noticed the listing of cities are in Florida that you distribute in your area.

[Lynn Smythe]

Hi Janice,

I don't have anything to do with this. I'm just posting the press release to my Bike Diva blog.

This sentence is in the press release above: "For more information on how to obtain helmets, please contact Montrae Waiters, governmental affairs specialist for Amscot at (813) 637-6277."

Take care,
Lynn Smythe AKA the Bike Diva