Gather up the kids Saturday, head to the Homer High School commons and enjoy the fun spin some 20 different providers put on safety education at the 16th annual Homer SAFE Kids fair.
"This is to keep our children safe from all those things out there that can hurt them," said volunteer event coordinator Jacquie Thaute. "(Kids) have to be taught and this is a fun way to teach them, be with them and help them learn."
Special guests at the event include Eddie Eagle, who will offer gun safety tips. Always popular, Smokey Bear is scheduled to make an appearance. SAFE Kids Safety Seal has the fair on his calendar. And Coastie, the U.S. Coast Guard Auxiliary's remote-controlled boat, will be spreading a water-safety message to fair-goers young and old.
The fair is from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m., with a bike rodeo in the high school's lower parking lot from 10 a.m.-noon. For the third year, mechanics from REI will be on hand, joining Derek Reynolds, owner of Cycle Logical and a Homer Community Schools instructor, in performing safety inspections on kids' bikes, according to Bob Painter, chief of the Homer Volunteer Fire Department, and Mike Illg, Homer Community Schools director. Helmets are required to participate in the rodeo and will be available at cost.
"We'll be making sure they fit properly and that the bikes are safe," Painter said.
A fire safety house complete with kitchen, living room and bedroom; and a smoke generator provides opportunities for youngsters in groups of four to six to learn what to do in the case of an indoor fire.
While groups are experiencing the fire drill in the house, other groups of youngsters experience a junior firefighter agility course, testing skills essential for firefighters.
"They're dragging fire hose and a rescue dummy," Painter said of the kid-sized activity.
Speaking of fire safety, a team from the Alaska Division of Forestry in Soldotna will be on hand to address the risk of outdoor fires. Don't be fooled thinking that lingering patches of snow, freezing temperatures and last year's dead grass mean fire safety is at a minimum.
"With the warm temps during the day, the cold at night is freezing vegetation and forcing moisture out of grass. During the day, wind is carrying the moisture away and the grass is as dry as can be. Tall brown grass is extremely ignitable," said Sharon Kilbourn-Roesch with the division in Soldotna.
Information from Forestry makes it clear that being fire-smart isn't limited to adults. Youngsters can help remove flammable materials that have accumulated around structures.
A buzz of activity was generated at the 2007 SAFE Kids Fair by Joe McCullough, education coordinator of the state's Office of Boating Safety. McCullough is back again this year, bringing with him a bucket of ice water to let youngsters experience in a small way the shock of cold-water immersion. He also will have life jackets so young boaters can learn how to don them correctly. And, as last year, McCullough will help youngsters design T-shirts with a boating-safety message.
In addition to other kid-friendly activities, South Peninsula Hospital has recreated a visit to Grandma's House, an environment not guaranteed to be childproofed.
"It teaches things that you don't get into when you go to Grandma's house," Thaute said. "It teaches what kids should and shouldn't touch."
Homer Electric Association has a similar activity, but with an electrical-safety message.
Wonder how to keep kids busy this summer? The fair offers sign-up for swimming classes, Little League and Safe Sitter class for 11- to 13-year-olds offered by SPH. The next sitter class is May 22-23 and costs $75.
The Homer Boys and Girls Club also will have sign-up available for youngsters who have completed first grade through 18 years old and want to attend the club's summer program.
It consists of three one-month sessions June, July and August scheduled to begin at 8:30 a.m. until 6 p.m., an increase over the half-day program offered in 2007. Cost is $200 a session plus an annual membership fee of $20. It includes breakfast, lunch and a snack.
"We're excited to do more hands-on programming and have more structure," said Kelly Jackman, Homer clubhouse director.
As youngsters move from activity to activity at the fair, they collect stamps that, when a specified number is collected, makes them eligible for a number of door prizes. Two prizes, as in past years, are two bicycles, one for a girl and one for a boy.
With all that and more on Saturday's program, what could make the SAFE Fair better?
"Keep your fingers crossed for good weather," Painter said.
Illg, who coordinates the rodeo and the space needed for the fair, said the Homer SAFE Kids Fair is a "must visit" for area families. "This is a bona fide safety preventive measure for the most important demographic in our community children," he said.
McKibben Jackinsky can be reached at mckibben.jackinsky@homernews.com.
