Tuesday, March 6, 2012

Safe Kids marks 15 years -- Le Bonheur event celebrates program

Safe Kids Mid-South celebrated 15 years at Le Bonheur Children'sMedical Center Sept. 21 with a safety parade through the hospital.In addition to displays and wagons set up by Le Bonheur departments,businesses and organizations including Babies 'R Us, Kohl's, MemphisFire Department, Memphis Light Gas & Water, TLC and The Pool Schoolparticipated in the event. Decorated red wagons traveled throughoutthe hospital sharing safety messages with patients. Students fromthe St. George's Independent School's pep band entertained thecrowd.

Following the parade, a special presentation in the auditoriumincluded a cheer from preschool students from Le Bonheur EarlyIntervention and Development, a gift presentation by Kohl's and asafety fashion show. The Kohl's Department Stores in Collierville,Cordova and Southaven have been active supporters of Safe Kids Mid-South. At the event Kristi Looney, Trent Rachael and Bill presentedLe Bonheur Children's with a $65,732 check.

Safe Kids Mid-South, headquartered at Le Bonheur, is part of aninternational campaign whose mission is to prevent accidentalchildhood injury - a leading killer of children age 14 and younger.

Each year, more than 10,000 children come to Le Bonheur as aresult of an injury. Unfortunately, nearly 120 children die becauseof an injury that could have been prevented. Safe Kids Mid-Southraises awareness about preventing injury, provides information andskills to make the environment safer, and helps pass laws forchildren's safety.

"By teaching safety, improving laws and making homes, schools andstreets safer, Safe Kids works to decrease the number of childrenwho visit Le Bonheur's Emergency Department," said Susan Helms,director of injury prevention and Safe Kids at Le Bonheur. "Ourvision is that children will have a safe place to live and grow,free from accidental injury."

Since it's inception in the Mid-South, Safe Kids has beenintegral in making the city a safer place for children. Some of SafeKids Mid-South's key successes include:

Safe Kids has garnered support from more than 150 businesses,government agencies, health and safety organizations, community andcivic groups, policy makers, volunteers, parents and children. Thesegroups are united to make "Safe Kids" a priority throughout the Mid-South.

Keeping children safe at play is a key part of Safe Kids. Theorganization has conducted 75 Bicycle Safety Rodeos and has providedmore than 5,500 helmets to children in need.

Leading an effort to ban rubber balloons in the hospital in 1993due to their choking hazard . Helms worked with local florists tohelp spread the word about the safety risk rubber balloons representand promoted the use of Mylar (shiny) balloons for children underage 4 at the hospital and throughout the community.

Safe Kids Mid-South has actively lobbied for legislation thatsupports safe children. In 1994, the organization successfullyworked to promote and pass bicycle helmet legislation in Tennessee.

To date, Safe Kids has trained dozens of child passenger safetytechnicians and helped families properly install more than 10,000child safety seats. The organization has provided more than 1,500child safety seats to families in need.

In 1994, the Safe Kids Buckle Up Hotline was created. The state-wide, toll-free public service allows concerned citizens to call inthe license number of a vehicle spotted with children in obviousviolation of Tennessee's Child Restraint Law. The vehicle's owner issent a letter promoting this life-saving law and child passengersafety information. This public service has helped to increase childrestraint use from approximately 48 percent to 82 percent.

Risk Watch safety curriculum was introduced into the Memphis CitySchools in 2000 to promote consistent safety messaging and activitythroughout the school year. Currently, Risk Watch remains the safetycurriculum of choice.

For more information about safety or to join the coalition, call287-6730 or visit lebonheur.org .

Jennifer Guarino Parris is the Communications specialist for LeBonheur Children's Medical Center.

Safe Kids marks 15 years -- Le Bonheur event celebrates program

Safe Kids Mid-South celebrated 15 years at Le Bonheur Children'sMedical Center Sept. 21 with a safety parade through the hospital.In addition to displays and wagons set up by Le Bonheur departments,businesses and organizations including Babies 'R Us, Kohl's, MemphisFire Department, Memphis Light Gas & Water, TLC and The Pool Schoolparticipated in the event. Decorated red wagons traveled throughoutthe hospital sharing safety messages with patients. Students fromthe St. George's Independent School's pep band entertained thecrowd.

Following the parade, a special presentation in the auditoriumincluded a cheer from preschool students from Le Bonheur EarlyIntervention and Development, a gift presentation by Kohl's and asafety fashion show. The Kohl's Department Stores in Collierville,Cordova and Southaven have been active supporters of Safe Kids Mid-South. At the event Kristi Looney, Trent Rachael and Bill presentedLe Bonheur Children's with a $65,732 check.

Safe Kids Mid-South, headquartered at Le Bonheur, is part of aninternational campaign whose mission is to prevent accidentalchildhood injury - a leading killer of children age 14 and younger.

Each year, more than 10,000 children come to Le Bonheur as aresult of an injury. Unfortunately, nearly 120 children die becauseof an injury that could have been prevented. Safe Kids Mid-Southraises awareness about preventing injury, provides information andskills to make the environment safer, and helps pass laws forchildren's safety.

"By teaching safety, improving laws and making homes, schools andstreets safer, Safe Kids works to decrease the number of childrenwho visit Le Bonheur's Emergency Department," said Susan Helms,director of injury prevention and Safe Kids at Le Bonheur. "Ourvision is that children will have a safe place to live and grow,free from accidental injury."

Since it's inception in the Mid-South, Safe Kids has beenintegral in making the city a safer place for children. Some of SafeKids Mid-South's key successes include:

Safe Kids has garnered support from more than 150 businesses,government agencies, health and safety organizations, community andcivic groups, policy makers, volunteers, parents and children. Thesegroups are united to make "Safe Kids" a priority throughout the Mid-South.

Keeping children safe at play is a key part of Safe Kids. Theorganization has conducted 75 Bicycle Safety Rodeos and has providedmore than 5,500 helmets to children in need.

Leading an effort to ban rubber balloons in the hospital in 1993due to their choking hazard . Helms worked with local florists tohelp spread the word about the safety risk rubber balloons representand promoted the use of Mylar (shiny) balloons for children underage 4 at the hospital and throughout the community.

Safe Kids Mid-South has actively lobbied for legislation thatsupports safe children. In 1994, the organization successfullyworked to promote and pass bicycle helmet legislation in Tennessee.

To date, Safe Kids has trained dozens of child passenger safetytechnicians and helped families properly install more than 10,000child safety seats. The organization has provided more than 1,500child safety seats to families in need.

In 1994, the Safe Kids Buckle Up Hotline was created. The state-wide, toll-free public service allows concerned citizens to call inthe license number of a vehicle spotted with children in obviousviolation of Tennessee's Child Restraint Law. The vehicle's owner issent a letter promoting this life-saving law and child passengersafety information. This public service has helped to increase childrestraint use from approximately 48 percent to 82 percent.

Risk Watch safety curriculum was introduced into the Memphis CitySchools in 2000 to promote consistent safety messaging and activitythroughout the school year. Currently, Risk Watch remains the safetycurriculum of choice.

For more information about safety or to join the coalition, call287-6730 or visit lebonheur.org .

Jennifer Guarino Parris is the Communications specialist for LeBonheur Children's Medical Center.

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