Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital will now coordinate regional Safe Kids coalition

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital will now serve as the lead agency of the Safe Kids Greater Syracuse Coalition under the name of Safe Kids Upstate New York Coalition.

Prior to coming under the auspices of the children's hospital, the local Safe Kids Coalition was led by the Onondaga County Health Department.

Safe Kids is a coalition of public and private organizations working together to prevent injuries to children through education and awareness programs. Child passenger safety, pedestrian safety, bicycle safety and fire safety are priorities for the local organization.

"With the opening of the Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital and its overarching mission to care for children, it made sense that Safe Kids future direction would reside there," said Leola Rodgers, associate administrator for Upstate Golisano Children's Hospital.

The first event of Safe Kids Upstate New York Coalition under Golisano Children's Hospital will be Safe Kids Night at the Syracuse Chiefs, to be held Friday, April 29, at Alliance Bank Stadium; doors open at 6 p.m., first pitch at 7 p.m. Free tickets courtesy of the United Healthcare, are available at all branches of the Onondaga County Public Library.

A health and safety expo featuring various organizations dedicated to making kids safer will be held during the game. Free bike helmets will be available to the first 250 children. The bike helmet giveaway is sponsored by the Upstate Advocates.

In addition to Safe Kids Night at the Syracuse Chiefs, the coalition sponsors annual car seat checks, helmet giveaways, and sports safety clinics, to name a few.

For more information on Safe Kids Upstate New York, contact Safe Kids coordinator Amanda Griffin at 315-464-2810 or go to www.upstate.edu/safekids.