Friends of an Albany, New York, boutique owner and fashion designer are raising funds for statewide bicycle training programs in her memory.
Diva de Loayza died on June 6 from injuries she received when she was struck by a minivan as she pedaled through a red light. She was knocked over the hood and crashed to the ground on her head; she was not wearing a helmet.
She also carried no identification, and it was two days before her identity was known.
De Loayza's kidneys were donated to transplant recipients, her brother, Hugh de Loayza, told the Albany Times Union.
Also a fund in her name has been set up with a bicycling organization that is pushing for “Share the Road” programs and helmet use. Check the New York Bicycling Coalition website to make donations.
The 40-year-old ran a chain of boutiques named Some Girls in Albany, Syracuse, Troy and Ithica, as well as selling a line of T-shirts under the brand “House of Bimbo.”
Her brother said the chain of boutiques would remain open and sell a “fashionable commemorative accessory” for cyclists to carry ID.
A helmet-decorating event is being organized by Jodi Banfelder, who says maybe more kids and adults would wear helmets if they were more fasionable. She told the Business Review:
“Bike helmets are ugly, and when you're a kid you don't want to wear anything that your friends will laugh at.”
Helmets will be decorated by local artists for a $5 donation from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday at The Warehouse, 20 Learned Avenue, North Albany. The money will go to the New York Bicycling Coalition to offset the cost of its Savvy Cyclist program.
Recent Comments