Deadline Looming to Send Your Kids to Safety Town

Each year, around 40 soon-to-be kindergarteners gather for three days of fun and learning before heading off to school for the first time. They are participants in the annual Safety Town program that is put on by a coalition of local agencies and organizations.

“The Safety Town experience provides an excellent launch pad for families to have age-appropriate conversations with their children,” says Andrea Struckmeyer, director of Lowell Safety Town. Throughout the three-day event, children learn about topics such as bus and pedestrian safety, stranger awareness, family emergency plans, bike safety and more.

Safety Town: A 15-Year Lowell Tradition

While there are many models of Safety Town used in communities nationwide, Lowell’s program was developed by former TOTS on Track director Kathy Cole. Now retired, Cole ran the program for about two years before passing the baton to Struckmeyer.

“Many of the topics and conversations align well with beginning school,” says Struckmeyer, explaining why it is offered to students entering kindergarten. At that age, children are starting to gain independence but need to be equipped with certain skills to navigate the world safely. Safety Town provides a fun way for children to learn how to be safe on the playground, while riding the bus or in the event they become separated from trusted adults.

Working Together to Make Safety Town a Reality

Safety Town is a collaborative effort among many community groups. Originally started by Lowell Area Schools, the program is now housed at Impact Church. On one day, the Lowell Area Fire Authority stops by for a presentation that includes showing off their full firefighter gear, a fire engine and the department’s smokehouse. On other days, it’s the Lowell Police Department and Lowell Area Schools Transportation Department that make a visit.

“The kids absolutely love the up-close encounters with the fire truck, police car and bus,” Struckmeyer says.

Community businesses also get involved as financial sponsors. Those include Pep Talk, which has been instrumental is ensuring kids walk away from the event each year with a Safety Town t-shirt.

This program is one more example of how the Lowell community comes together to provide exciting opportunities for children and families. “Each day is packed with guest speakers, music, thematic snacks and projects,” Struckmeyer says. “[There is] play time at safety-themed centers, time to ride Big Wheels and practice road safety in our model town.” While everything is a hit, Struckmeyer says a perennial favorite is the “Fire Truck” sing-along.

Lowell Safety Town Registration Information

If you are interested in sending your child to Safety Town, the program is open to all children entering kindergarten in fall 2017. It will run on June 12th-15th from 9:00-11:15am at Impact Church.

Registration is $40 and the deadline to register is May 19th. To register or for more information, please contact Andrea Struckmeyer by calling 897-8304 or email [email protected].

All photos courtesy of Andrea Struckmeyer

Save

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.


*