Kids learn how to protect themselves from everyday dangers at Safety Town
By Ashley Luthans
The St. Joseph Safety and Health Council began its annual Safety Town program this week.
The safety education program is designed to help children from ages 5 to 7 learn more about how to stay safe in different aspects of life, specifically as a driver and a pedestrian.
Safety Town is a small simulated city created at the Keatley Center that consists of traffic signals, crosswalks, streets and more. Children were encouraged to safely ride tricycles and follow “traffic laws” within the tiny town.
Frank Till, executive director of the safety council, said the kids will learn safety tips for various situations.
“Different points of safety: how to stay safe crossing the streets, stranger danger, water safety, electrical safety, storm safety,” Till said. “Just about every safety topic you can think of just to keep our children safe.”
The program has been going strong since 1979, helping multiple generations of children to learn how to stay safe.
Till said in all sessions, children will hear speakers from the community, go on field trips and learn about different situations they might experience.
Olivia Rose, an attendee at the event, shared her favorite part of the program.
“We get to ride bikes and it’s kind of like cars and it’s really fun,” Rose said.
Till said he enjoys seeing the children learn such useful information.
“My favorite part of Safety Town is just being here and watching the kids learn and grow,” Till said. “Seeing them take the pre-test and the post-test and seeing how much knowledge they gained just from being here. And it lets me know that this program really is a benefit to them.”
Local businesses and organizations can sponsor Safety Town and have buildings and street signs named after them within the mini city. There are still sponsorship opportunities available.
Due to the number of children signed up, registration is now closed for this year’s program.
For information about future programs, visit stjoesafetycouncil.org.
There are four Safety Town sessions this year: June 17-20, June 24-27, July 1-5 (excluding July 4) and July 8-11.
