FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:
Media Contacts:
Organization:
Phone Number:
E-mail:
Juan Gonzalez
City of Glendale - Community Development Department
818-937-8322
jgonzalez@glendaleca.gov
Toni Beck Espinoza
Glendale Kiwanis Club
818-409-0755
toni.beck.espinoza@ms.com
GLENDALE KIWANIS CLUB PARTNERS WITH BE STREET SMART GLENDALE TO KEEP KIDS SAFE
GLENDALE, CA - As one of its volunteer initiatives for 2018, the Glendale Kiwanis Club has committed to help ensure the safety of our youth by conducting a series of traffic safety clinics in conjunction with the City of Glendale’s Be Street Smart Glendale educational campaign. Club members will be trained on how to conduct traffic safety rodeos this Saturday, February 3, 2018 at the Glendale Elks Lodge, 120 E. Colorado Street from 9:30 am to 11:30 am. Staff from Safe Moves, the City of Glendale’s Safe Routes to School partner, will train club members to teach children how to be safer while walking and bicycling.
“What could be more important than keeping children safe especially when traffic collisions are the leading cause of death and injury among youth in the U.S.? We want to be a part of the City’s commitment to the health, welfare and safety of children through their Be Street Smart Glendale campaign and Safe Routes to School program,” said Toni Beck Espinoza, Glendale Kiwanis Club President.
To support their commitment to keeping Glendale youth safe while in traffic, the club purchased a “Safe Moves City,” a miniature city with streets, sidewalks, cars, and traffic signs. The course will be laid out in the Elks Club parking lot where Kiwanis members will learn how to walk, ride and roll through it in order to teach children the skills they need to walk and bicycle safely. Once trained, club members will be able to conduct safety programs at community events upon request.
“Traffic safety is and will remain the number one priority for the City of Glendale. However, enforcement alone will not curb reckless driving and jaywalking residents. In order to make significant and lasting reductions in preventable traffic collisions, we need the help and support of the entire community to make behavioral changes. By increasing our community partnerships and disseminating this critical message, we can enhance the overall traffic safety experience in our City,” said Mayor Vartan Gharpetian.
The Be Street Smart Glendale campaign is a citywide effort led by the Glendale’s Community Development Department. It seeks to make the City’s streets safe for all road users – pedestrians, motorists, and bicyclists. The program encourages residents, as well as those who come to work, shop, and play in Glendale to do their part to create a walk-friendly and bike-friendly community.
The Glendale Kiwanis Club is an association of conscientious business, civic, professional, educational, and community leaders who meet regularly for education, inspiration, and fellowship and to select, plan, and implement projects to improve our community, with focus on children and youth, elderly, underserved populations, and nonprofit organizations.
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Glendale, known as the “Jewel City,” is one of the largest cities in Los Angeles County. With a population of over 200,000, Glendale is a thriving cosmopolitan city that is rich in history, culturally diverse, and offers limitless opportunities. It is the home to a vibrant business community, with major companies in healthcare, entertainment, manufacturing, retail, and banking.
