Safe Kids named coalition of the year
By Phyllis Moore
Published in News on June 8, 2018 5:50 AM
Wayne County Safe Kids Coalition has been recognized by the state as Coalition of the Year.
The local agency, known for its efforts to provide education and resources to ensure child safety, is housed at the Partnership for Children of Wayne County.
It is grant-funded and benefits from a solid support system from around the county, says Shelly Willis, Safe Kids coordinator.
Among the agencies in the community which participate on the coalition are Wayne UNC Health Care, Goldsboro Optimist Club, Goldsboro fire and police departments, YMCA, WAGES and Wayne Community College. The local coalition meets bi-monthly or more frequently as needed, sharing updates and information from and with their agencies.
She praised the local coalition and its efforts go beyond attending meetings. Most of its members participate in events and volunteer where needed, including the Optimist Club's involvement with bicycle safety and helmet fittings and Wayne UNC Health Care's recent Operation Medicine Drop, she said.
Willis was certified as a safety technician in 2010 and became coalition coordinator in 2013.
The Safe Kids Coalition has been in existence since 2002. This is the first year for the distinction of being recognized for the state award, she said.
The agency received the award from Safe Kids North Carolina during the N.C. Injury Prevention Conference, in Concord in May.
"We went to the N.C. Injury Prevention Conference," she said, explaining that there were more than 200 in attendance, mostly child passenger seat technicians, Safe Kids advocates, coalition members and even emergency medical and law enforcement representatives.
It was no surprise that awards were being handed out, she said, but she was unaware that the local affiliate had been nominated.
"Anybody could be nominated, but they had to submit a history of types of fundraisers and data," she said.
She was not really paying close attention when the time came for the announcement, she said, but her interest piqued when a few catch phrases caught her ear -- like the Teddy Bear Picnic and Kids Fest held at Berkeley Mall each year.
Those are just two of the events that are near and dear to her heart, she said.
"When they said Teddy Bear Picnic and talked about Safe Kids Day, I realized they were talking about us," Willis said.
It was a joyous moment, she said, which she shared with Tara Humphries of WCC, chairperson of the local coalition.
The recognition reflects all the combined efforts forged in this community, Willis said.
"It only made sense that we accepted that award this year because everybody had worked so hard and of course, the Partnership for Children leading us and providing the space for the programming and storage space for all the (car) seats and the helmets," she said. "This just gives you that push to work a little harder."