Register Your Child Today for Safety Town
News Release: May 17, 2006
Contact: Janice Osborne, director-Communications and Marketing; (610) 865-4400, ext. 262

Registrations are being accepted for Lower Macungie Township Safety Town, a comprehensive safety awareness and prevention program for four- and five-year-olds, held at Wescosville Elementary School.

The program, which is in its second year, features a child-sized “town” complete with miniature buildings, streets signs, crosswalks, cars, traffic lights and railroad crossings. Through hands-on and classroom activities, students learn safety lessons such as bicycle safety, bus safety, fire prevention safety, playground safety, railroad safety, water safety, and information on how to stay safe around animals and strangers, and poison protection. The program is a collaborative community effort involving local business, industry, school officials, civic organizations, parents, teens and senior citizens.

Lower Macungie Township Safety Town is one of more than 1,500 nationwide accredited programs of the National Safety Town Center. Last year, 128 children participated in the local program.

“Safety Town is a well-run, well-organized and age-appropriate program,” Anthony Moyer, principal of Wescosville Elementary School, said. “Children are actively engaged and thoroughly enjoy each day as they learn how to stay safe. It was great to see so many community volunteers involved in such a program at our school last year. We look forward to hosting the program again this year.”

Three, 15-hour sessions (Monday-Friday, from 9 a.m. to noon) will be held: July 10-14; July 17-21; and July 24-28 at Wescosville Elementary School. Certified instructors and uniformed personnel teach classes through role-play, songs, skits and other hands-on activities.

All children enrolled in the program must have turned age four by Jan 1, 2006. Cost of the program is $50 for Lower Macungie Township residents; $55 for non-residents. Registration fees are non-refundable.

For an application or more information, call (610) 421-8051 or visit www.lmtsafetytown.org. Registration deadline is June 15. Space is limited and is on a first-come, first-served basis. All registrants must provide proof of medical insurance at the time of registration.

Lower Macungie Township Safety Town is presented by community partners Junior League of the Lehigh Valley, East Penn School District and American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley.

The American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley serves more than 660,000 residents of Carbon, Lehigh and Northampton counties. Last year the Red Cross provided health and safety education training; Lifeline, a personal response service for seniors; and emergency relief to more than 20,000 Greater Lehigh Valley residents. For more information about the American Red Cross of the Greater Lehigh Valley or volunteer opportunities, call (610) 865-4400 or visit www.redcrosslv.org.