Sunday, May 18, 2008


Having fun being safe: Safety Day draws a crowd
By Joseph Robertia | Peninsula Clarion

Saturday was a beautiful day, the type of day that makes people want to get out with their loved ones and enjoy the warm sunshine and fresh air -- which is exactly what many families did this past weekend while also getting a heaping helping of safety advice.

It was all part of Safety Day 2008, held at Soldotna Creek Park, and sponsored by the City of Soldotna, Nancy Mitchell of State Farm Insurance and the Soldotna Chamber of Commerce. The event is held to encourage kids to participate in learning about safety through a variety of organizations, materials and methods.

"There are lots of different organizations promoting safety here on the peninsula, and with them all in one place, parents can being there kids and have a day to emphasize safety," Mitchell said.

Much of this safety focused on kids activities, such as biking, skateboarding and roller-blading, so the Kenai Peninsula Safe Kids Coalition was in attendance performing car seat checks and not just selling helmets at a discounted rate, but also ensuring the helmets the children selected fit correctly.

"We're here to help gear up the kids for summer time. We want to make sure kids have the correct gear, and are also safe when riding around in vehicles," said Jane Fellman.

Growing up in Alaska, children can't help but be exposed to fishing, so the Kenai River Sportfishing Association was in attendance to provide some fishing safety advice and to give out fishing rods -- to children ages 6 to 16 -- through their Hooked on Fishing program.

"This is one of our favorite events. We'll probably give out around 125 rods for king, silver, trout and halibut fishing, as well as a few fly rods," said Larry Miller, a KRSA member.

The rods come through generous donations from area businesses such as Trustworthy Hardware, as well as from donations from local fishermen themselves, according to Dennis Gease, another KRSA member.

"We rework them and get them back in shape to give away. We do it because we figure if we can get a kid hooked on fishing at a young age, they'll be hooked for life," Gease said.

Not all of the Safety Day advice dealt with excursions away from home. Several booths, such as that of the Kenai Peninsula FireWise, focused on being safe around the house and yard, too.

"Fire safety is a family affair, so we want to encourage kids to help, too. FireWise is something kids can do by stacking firewood, pulling grassy weeds and raking leaves, so we talk a lot about those kinds of home safety issues," said Judy Reese, FireWise field team leader.

University of Alaska Fairbanks Cooperative Extension Service Office and 4-H also focused on home safety, and combined the event with their annual tree and peony sale.

"We talk about ATV safety, lawn and garden safety, and safety around animals," said Nancy Veal, 4-H youth development agent.

Veal said her animal lecture covers everything from moving around barnyard critters to how to approach a strange dog.

"Horns, hooves, teeth -- I go over it all," she said.

There was also a live auction of bikes, a free barbecue and live entertainment for Safety Day patrons to enjoy, and many in attendance, such as Ryan Kapp of Soldotna who was there with his two children, said they thought the event was a worthwhile endeavor.

"It's a good program. I wanted to bring the kids and show them this stuff, and some of it -- like the photos of teeth at the anti-smoking booth -- made a real impression. Also, it's all in one place and they make it fun for kids. It's done at their levels so kids can absorb the information better," Kapp said.

Joseph Robertia can be reached at joseph.robertia@peninsulaclarion.com.