KAUA’I FIREMAN Solomon Kanoho introduces little Brittney Yoshida to the world of fire engines and hoses at last weekend’s Child Safety Awareness Day. Miss Yoshida was delighter. (Photo by Dennis Fujimoto) By DENNIS FUJIMOTO TGI Staff Photographer LIHU’E — Behind
KAUA’I FIREMAN Solomon Kanoho introduces little Brittney Yoshida to the world
of fire engines and hoses at last weekend’s Child Safety Awareness Day. Miss
Yoshida was delighter.
(Photo by Dennis Fujimoto)
By DENNIS
FUJIMOTO
TGI Staff Photographer
LIHU’E — Behind the wheel of a bright
red fire truck, 18-month-old Brittney Yoshida’s face lit up with a smile.
As fireman Solomon Kanoho held the youngster, she reached out to the heavy
nozzle of a fire hose.
Brittney was one of many Kaua’i children who
attended Honda’s Child Safety Awareness Day May 20. The event was sponsored by
King Auto Center in conjunction with the Kawaihau Little League.
Event
coordinator Ora Dileonardo said Kaua’i’s fire department, police department and
ambulance crews were on hand to help with the program designed to teach
families how to stay safe.
Kawaihau Little League adult officers manned the
food booth that offered visitors a chance to whet their appetites while a crew
of baseball players frolicked between emerging cars from the King Auto Center
car wash, anxious to lend their youthful energies towards wiping down the
dripping autos.
Outside the showroom, the 10 & Under Na Alakai inline
hockey team stood ready in helmets and proper pads to allow youngsters an
opportunity to test their skill by skating through an obstacle course of cones
as well as having an opportunity to score against the goalie of the 12 &
Under team, Holomua.
The hockey team took time out from their practice as
they prepared to head to Maui where they will play in the state finals for
inline hockey from June 9 through 11.
A coach as well as a contingent of
parent volunteers were on hand to answer any questions parents of potential
inline skaters may have had, or help explain some of the safety rules of inline
skaters to budding skaters.
Each year, more than a million children
nationwide are injured or killed in preventable household, traffic, and
recreational accidents. Traffic accidents alone account for more than 700,000
of these injuries or deaths.
Working with its ongoing sponsorship of
Little League baseball, American Honda and close to 500 of its dealerships
nationally are trying to reduce these numbers through education.
The hockey
players were well aware of their mission as they pointed out dangerous
maneuvers to youngsters eager to try their hand at making it through the
obstacle course so they could have a hand at a shot-on-goal.
Inside the
King Auto showroom, a crew of police officers headed by Paul Kanoho conducted a
keiki ID station sponsored by Polaroid’s Project KidCare.
As some
youngsters worked at getting their fingerprints onto a “passport” card, and,
with the aid of King Auto sales professionals taking measurements of keiki,
Kanoho worked the Polaroid camera to make sure the children were
photographed.
The passports provide parents with current information,
physical description, and photo identification of their children—information
that is imperative to the search and recovery of missing children.
“The
Honda dealer network offers us a unique opportunity to reach into local
communities to provide important child safety information directly to
families,” said Dick Colliver, executive vice president of American Honda Motor
Co., Inc.
“If we can help one child through our efforts, Child Safety
Awareness Day will be a success.”
The event was enhanced by the Visitor
Industry Charity Walk that was taking place just uphill at the Kukui Grove Park
and Pavilion.
American Medical Response island manager Zack Octavio and his
crews were on hand to lend their medical presence to the event and made their
way over to the auto dealership following the completion of the walk where they
were on hand to inspect and instruct families on the proper installation of
child safety seats
Mike Kano, Sparky, and the shift crew from the Lihu’e
fire station were also on hand for the charity event before making their
appearance at King Auto Center to the delight of the steady flow of families
and youngsters eager for a closeup view of the fire truck.
Kaua’i Police
officers and bike patrol officers were also on duty at the charity walk before
working at allowing families a closer view of their patrol unit as well as
helping with the Polaroid Project KidCare identification station.
Kawaihau
Little League players not involved in games were on hand to help wipe down car
wash autos as well as provide food through a food booth offering.
American
Honda Motor Co., Inc. developed its dealership-based Child Safety Awareness Day
in cooperation with Little League Baseball, Polaroid’s Project KidCare, the
National Center for Missing and Exploited Children, and the National Highway
Traffic Safety Administration.
