Kohl's sponsors event on safety
An Evans retail center and an Augusta hospital intend to help children while entertaining them.
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Kohl's department store and the Medical College of Georgia Children's Medical Center have partnered for a children's health and safety event Saturday that mixes hands-on fun with education.
"We re trying to make it as fun for them as possible," said Catherine Stewart, an MCG Health marketing specialist.
The Kohl's: Keeping Our Little Ones Safe event will be held from 10 a.m. until 2 p.m. in the store's parking lot in Mullins Crossing shopping center on Washington Road.
The free event will feature activities and information on health and safety topics, including asthma, poison prevention, and car seat, bicycle and pedestrian safety.
Stewart said the event, put on with a $23,547 grant from Kohl's, will be a carnival-like setting with booths offering information.
Children can blow through a straw for a pediatric asthma test. Also, they'll get to see the importance of helmets during wheeled sports by dropping a Jell-O mold inside a helmet and unprotected onto the ground to see what happens to the Jell-O.
"I'm hoping it is going to be really fun for them," Stewart said.
Stewart said children can be doctors for a day in the Teddy Bear Clinic. They'll get to wear surgical scrubs, masks and gloves and use a make-believe syringe and stethoscope to give a stuffed bear medical treatment.
"They'll check their bear, give their bear a shot, put a Band-Aid on it," Stewart said. "Check his ears. They'll just kind of get to play doctor for a minute. They love it. They love putting on the attire, too."
Columbia County sheriff's deputies will be on site for the ID-A-Child program to fingerprint and photograph children.
Safe Kids East Central Georgia representatives will be at the event distributing booster seats and insuring proper car seat installation. Dieticians also will be providing children healthy snacks while giving parents tips on how to get children to eat healthy.
Stewart said children also will get lots of "goodies" to take home, including temporary tattoos, sidewalk chalk and water bottles.