Safe Kids Wyoming has been lucky enough to receive the help of the Kohl's of Cheyenne's A-Team on numerous occasions over the past several years.  Some of the annual events that the A-Team volunteers at are:

Gift of a Mother's Love in February.  Through the $500 grant, 15 seats and other infant safety devices are purchased, and with the help of the A-Team, child safety seat "baskets" are put together and sent out across the state to the first baby born on Valentine's day of each year.  Pictured is a 2010 Valentine's Day Baby, Trinity Lovitt, of Converse County.

Safe Kids Day is held on the first Saturday of every May in Cheyenne.  Not only do several of the A-Team members come out for the day to help run the event, the $500 grant goes towards purchasing car seats, helmets and other needed safety devices for the various stations and booths.

Kohl's and their A-Team also offers incredible support during Child Passenger Safety Week and Seat Check Satruday each September.  Last years campaign was "Boost 'til 9: 9-9-09."  Kohl's helped to purchase booster seats which were handed out during the check-up event which was held in the Kohl's of Cheyenne parking lot.  2010's Child Passenger Safety week is September 19 - 25. Please visit the "Boost 'til 9" page for more information.

 

Through the Kohl's Cares for Kids program since 2008, Safe Kids Wyoming has received almost $30,000 for educational and media campaigns and safety materials.  These include billboards, informational flyers and carseats.  Below are the stories of two families who have been greatly helped by receiving a Kohl's child safety seat.

2009

Francine Ritsema, of Cheyenne, Wyo. visited the Car Seat Inspection Station in April 2009.  Along with her came her husband, Chris, and her two children, Hailey, 2 ½, and Toriana, a newborn.  The Ritsemas have been stationed at F.E. Warren for the last year and moved here from Italy.  Upon the arrival of Toriana, they called to schedule an appointment to have all of their car seats inspected in two separate vehicles. Francine heard about the Inspection Station through a nurse at Cheyenne Regional Medical Center in the Mother / Baby Unit.  They had four seats, one for each child in each of their vehicles that they had bought at department stores in the past.  Out of the four child safety seats, two were infant only seats with bases.  Hailey, at 25 pounds and 30 inches tall, has almost grown out of her of the rear-facing convertible. Her parents also recently purchased a 2-in-1 forward facing / booster child safety seat.  While generally knowledgeable about child safety seats, both parents learn a few new tips that they hadn’t known before, such as no “after market products,” proper placement of the harness straps and the “pinch test.”  Upon taking the educational pamphlets, Francine said “I’m so glad that Cheyenne has a program like this.”  Safe Kids provided them with a 2-in-1 forward facing harness / booster seat. Hailey was thrilled to have two new seats, one for “Mommy’s car” and one for “Daddy’s truck.”

 

2010

Mirna and Juan Chavez of Cheyenne, Wyoming visited the Car Seat Inspection station in March 2010.  They are parents to three children, Kevin, eight, Irvin, four and Aylin, 11 months. The Chavez family has been residents of Cheyenne for the past nine years when they moved here from Mexico.  They found out about the program through a parent of one of the children that attends Mirna’s daycare. They had called to schedule an appointment for Irvin to see if he was ready to move into a booster seat and to move Aylin in to a new seat as she was out-growing her infant only seat.

 

Upon arrival, Kevin’s low-back booster seat and Irivin’s forward facing 5-point harness were both over six years old and expired.  As they were expecting to buy at least two, if not all three seats , the Chavezs were thrilled to discover that Kohl’s, one of Mirna’s favorite shopping grounds, was providing booster seats for families in need through their sponsorship of Safe Kids Wyoming and Laramie County.

 

While the seats were mostly installed correctly, the family and the two boys learned a lot about not using second-hand seats, expiration dates and proper placement of seatbelts across your hips.  They also learned about proper placement of harness straps and the “pinch test” for Aylin.

 

The family received a low-back booster for Kevin and a high-back booster for Irvin free-of-charge from the Kohl’s Program. They purchased a rear-facing convertible for Aylin from Safe Kids Laramie County.  Juan stated “I’m so grateful for this program.  Without it we would not have been able to afford all of the seats to keep our ninos safe.”