In celebration of National Safe Kids Week recognized from April 27 to May 2, Safe Kids Catawba County Coalition will host an interactive safety fair on Saturday, May 2 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in front of the Health First Center at Valley Hills Mall, Hickory. With a theme of “Raising Safe Kids: One Stage At a Time,” the celebration will offer fun ways for families to learn that close supervision, proper safety devices and other simple prevention measures help children avoid injury. The fair will include safety games, information, door prizes, snacks and displays by Catawba Valley Medical Center as well as area agencies involved in the Safe Kids Catawba County coalition. The event, free and designed for families and children of all ages, includes activities aimed toward kids ages 10 to 13. Music and entertainment will be provided by DJ Superfly.

“The more kids can be aware of preventing injuries, the more fun they can have doing their favorite summertime activities,” says Debbie Leger, Registered Nurse, Bachelor of Science Nursing, Critical Care Registered Nurse and CVMC’s Safe Kids Catawba County coordinator. “The safety fair’s activities will help teach and reinforce the common-sense risk prevention measures every child should know.”

The Safe Kids Catawba County Coalition is part of the Safe Kids Worldwide and Safe Kids North Carolina, the first and only national non-profit organization dedicated solely to the prevention of unintentional childhood injury-the number one killer of children ages 14 and under. The Campaign is made up of more than 300 state and local Safe Kids coalitions in all 50 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is the lead agency for the Safe Kids Catawba County Coalition and employs Ms. Leger as the coalition’s coordinator. To learn more about Safe Kids, the Safety Fair or to schedule an appointment for child safety seat inspection, call her at 828-485-2300.

Catawba Valley Medical Center is a not-for-profit, public healthcare system providing and promoting the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual well-being of the public in addition to serving as a center for health education, wellness services, preventative medicine and acute care. CVMC, twice recognized by the American Nurses Credentialing Center as a Magnet facility, was recently named as a “Distinguished Hospital for An Outstanding InPatient Experience” by J.D. Power and Associates as well as a Hospital of Choice by the American Alliance of Healthcare Providers.