For Immediate Release:	Contacts:
March 19, 2009	Kristin Milam
	Johanna Royo
	(919) 733-5238
Safe Kids Wake County named Coalition of the Year
RALEIGH -- Safe Kids North Carolina State Chair and N.C. Insurance Commissioner Wayne Goodwin announces that the Safe Kids Wake County Coalition has been named North Carolina's Coalition of the Year. Local agencies work together to form Sake Kids coalitions in their communities. WakeMed Hospital is the lead agency of Safe Kids Wake County.
"It is my honor to work with such dedicated and motivated volunteers," said Commissioner Goodwin. "Wake County children are safer because of these good citizens. Congratulations to Safe Kids Wake County on a job well done in 2008!"
Here are some highlights of the past year's work of Safe Kids Wake County:
They applied for and won a grant to study distracted drivers, then spent more than 50 man hours observing drivers in school zones. They organized a "Toyland" themed float for the Raleigh Christmas Parade. This float included a police officer, firefighter, a trauma surgeon and children modeling safety gear. They hosted a safety fair before the Movies by Moonlight Series in Raleigh. More than 900 kids, parents and caregivers learned about bike safety, water safety, pharmaceutical poisoning, playground safety, dehydration prevention and other ways to prevent childhood injury. They hosted a Walk This Way, Walk to School Day event to teach children pedestrian safety. They partnered with several local businesses and involved them in teaching Wake County kids and parents about injury prevention.
Injury is the leading cause of death for children in North Carolina. Each year more than 200 children under the age of 15 die, about 3000 are admitted to hospitals, and more than 45,000 receive other medical care as a result of injuries. In a typical year one out of every 34 children in North Carolina experiences an injury that results in death or medical care.
-- SKNC --