Unintentional and preventable injuries are the leading cause of death for children younger than 14. Through the Kohl’s Cares for Kids initiative, associates volunteer at The Children’s Hospital at Northwest Texas Healthcare System in Amarillo, Texas. They organize parties, participate in arts-and-crafts activities, and stock the playroom with toys for children during their hospital stays.
The 4 year anniversary for the Children’s Hospital is this fall. The SafeKids Fair, Teddy Bear Clinic, and the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit Picnic was held on Saturday, September 8, 2007 to celebrate.
The Teddy Bear Clinic allows children to visit the hospital and learn about the care provided. This is a safe, non-threatening way for children to better understand the environment in the event they ever need to visit for a medical problem for themselves.
The NICU Picnic is a reunion for parents of children treated in the Neonatal unit. It is a chance to share memories with doctors and hospital staff, and also to meet with other parents having experienced the same dilemmas.
The SafeKids Fair provides information to ensure that families are safeguarding their children against unintentional and preventable injuries. Educational activities on animal safety, bicycle safety, fire prevention, gun-handling precautions, and safe water practices were a few of the booths available to answer questions and resources to obtain child safety equipment.
Volunteers from the Amarillo College Nursing students, Tornado Alley BMX Track, Safe Kids Coalition, and Local Outreach Coordinator Cunningham were able to fit 250 kids with bicycle helmets. Another 10 helmet/elbow pad/knee pad kits were donated as door prizes for the event. All helmets were purchased by The Children’s Hospital with funding by a grant from our local Kohl’s department store. Thank you to all the volunteers and organizations involved for a successful child safety awareness day.
