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Walker launches four-day Safety Town for K–3 students at Zinsser Elementary
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Summary
Walker’s Community Engagement Committee is launching Safety Town, a four-day, half-day summer program (June 22–25) at Zinsser Elementary to teach kindergarten–third-grade children bike, fire, water and 911-call safety. Registration is $125; local departments and businesses will participate.
Walker’s Community Engagement Committee will run Safety Town, a four-day, summer safety program for children entering kindergarten through third grade, June 22–25 at Zinsser Elementary, committee Chair Jenna Wilmers said on the city’s Made in Walker podcast.
Wilmers, who helped bring the program to Walker, said Safety Town is a three-hour daily session that uses a life-sized “safety town” course in a gymnasium where children can practice bike and road safety, and participate in play-based instruction on fire, weather, water and home safety. “I wish that my son could learn how to call 911 and, like, what questions are gonna be asked and practice, because bringing in cell phones, it adds another component to it,” Wilmers said.
The inaugural Safety Town, which Wilmers described as Monday through Thursday for the first year, will include demonstrations from Walker’s police, fire and Department of Public Works and an interactive smoke-filled trailer from the fire department so children can practice evacuating a simulated smoke-filled room. Principal Johnston of Zinsser Elementary and her husband are scheduled to emcee the program, Wilmers said. Local business partners named on the program include Independent Bank, ProTech, ProCollision and JJ Wright Salon. Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital will provide a helmet safety demonstration.
Wilmers said the program is charging $125 per child and that sponsorships and partner support are helping underwrite costs and broaden participation. “We are actually getting a life-sized [course], so kids will be able to actually ride their bikes all the way around,” she said, describing the program’s hands-on approach to teaching road and bike safety.
The Community Engagement Committee is a volunteer group that connects residents to city assets, Wilmers said, and members are helping recruit volunteers and publicize the program. Wilmers said the committee hopes to add an afternoon session in future years to reach more children; this year’s inaugural schedule includes morning sessions only.
Program details and registration information are available at walker.citysafetytown, the hosts said. For questions about the podcast, the hosts provided podcast@walker.city as a contact address. Made in Walker is the official podcast of the City of Walker.
The episode closed with thanks to listeners and an invitation to learn more about volunteering with the Community Engagement Committee.
