News
PRESS RELEASE AND REQUEST
FOR COVERAGE
July 28, 2009
Contact: Alison Podworski
or Michelle Abdow
413-787-1133
Cell: 413-478-4481
LOCAL COMPANIES TEAM UP TO KEEP CHILDREN
SAFE THIS SUMMER
Interactive Safe Kids Summer Event to be Held at
Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Springfield, MA — All parents could agree that education is key and keeping a child safe is their number one priority, but safety education can be fun as well. Several Western Massachusetts area businesses will be helping parents do just that by giving them safety tips and tools at a special event. The Safe Kids Summer event will be held Saturday, August 8, 2009, from 9am-12pm at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in downtown Springfield, MA. (see flyer)
The event was created after Atty. Thomas Libbos of Libbos Law mentioned to his marketing firm, Market Mentors that he wanted to promote bike safety by offering complimentary bike helmets to children. Market Mentors then decided to incorporate bike safety into an entire large-scale child safety event and is producing the morning affair.
"I think this is a great way for both kids and parents to learn about safety tips," says Atty. Tom Libbos. "The Basketball Hall of Fame is the perfect location for an interactive day that is both fun for kids and extremely educational for all who attend."
In addition to Libbos Law, several area businesses quickly jumped at the opportunity to take part is the Safe Kids Summer event, including: The Dowd Agencies, Topor Dodge of Chicopee, City Tire, Baystate Children’s Hospital, Safe Kids of Western Mass at Baystate Children’s Hospital, Chicopee Savings Bank, Family Wireless, Curry Printing, The American Red Cross, Health New England, Peter Pan Bus Lines, BMC HealthNet and the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame. The large-scale event coincides with 94.7 WMAS Play it "SAFE" Summer promotion.
Having worked with the Masonic Youth Child Identification Program (MYCHIP) in the past, Market Mentors is including that group to produce the event that will offer many different levels of child safety education. MYCHIP has identified more than 250,000 children since its inception in 1988, and it continues to assist families today. The program provides tools to help law enforcement authorities find and identify a lost or missing child. The Masons of Massachusetts, partnering with the Massachusetts Crime Prevention Officers Association and the Massachusetts Dental Association, donate MYCHIP resources to make this service available to the public. None of the information is copied and all the identifying materials are given to the child's family.
The Free Program Includes:
VIDEOTAPE: A brief videotaped interview that can be quickly distributed to the media in order to reach a huge audience.FINGERPRINTING: Fingerprinting is a well-known means of identification. Resourceful parents keep fingerprints available should the need arise. Officers from the Springfield Police Department will assist.
TOOTH PRINTS: A tooth print bite impression is quick and easy. Teeth, like fingerprints are unique. A dental imprint gives both accurate and important information for identification purposes. This service will be provided by Small Smiles Dental Clinic of Springfield.
CHEEK SWAB: A Q-tip is gently rubbed on the inside of a child’s cheek to gather DNA material.
Other interactive demonstrations and educational initiatives will be presented as well including:
K-9 UNIT DEMONSTRATION: Canine Handler and Wilbraham Police Officer Joseph Brewer will demonstrate how the Wilbraham Police Department works with their canine officer "Charon".
SPRINGFIELD FIRE DEPARTMENT: Captain Mike Richard of the Public Education program will be on hand for kids to learn about the fire truck apparatus and fire safety tips from Springfield Fire fighters. On display with be Engine 1, Ladder 1 and the rescue squad truck.
CAR SEAT SAFETY: SafeKids of Western Mass at Baystate Children’s Hospital will give parents car seat safety tips and inform them about the different types of car seats available. They will also be offering information about their car seat inspection stations.
In addition, Baystate Children’s Hospital will host "Bandy Bear", the hospital’s mascot, who will greet children as they enter the site.
The interactive event also includes a stranger safety coloring table, child information memory sheets, parent and child safety check list and a babysitter’s reference guide. For more information please contact Market Mentors at 413-787-1133.
About Market Mentors
Market Mentors is a full service marketing firm committed to helping businesses grow through providing marketing expertise and creativity, while also serving as a resource for their clients in order to help them fulfill their short and long term objectives. The company is skilled in many areas including media buying (subscribing to both Nielsen and Arbitron Media Research), post buy analysis / reconciliation, creative services including: broadcast production, graphic design, web design and solutions, collateral materials, trade-show and window displays, direct mail (design and fulfillment), promotions, community relations and editorial services / public relations. For more information about Market Mentors please visit www.marketmentors.net.
