It’s the little things that count. A hug, a smile, a thank you can make a big difference in someone’s life.
Lately, I’ve had the opportunity to visit several retail stores where I’ve been asked to donate a dollar or two to a charity. Some of the charities are local, some are national, and some are global. All seem worthwhile, so I donate when I can.
All of the donations make me think of another cause dear to my heart — keeping children safe. With motor vehicle crashes being the leading cause of injury and death for children ages 1 to 13, according to http://nhtsa.gov, and car seat misuse in Santa Rosa County hovering at a startling 93 percent, it’s a cause deserving a second thought.
I believe our children are worth the extra time to learn how to best protect them as they travel. Most parents can call a nationally certified child passenger safety technician who will schedule an appointment to check their child’s car seat or booster fit for free.
Technicians are searchable by location at http://cert.safekids.org and http://nhtsa.gov and they are at agencies throughout the panhandle.
Some parents or caregivers don’t have the luxury of getting their child’s car seat checked because simply getting a safe car seat is an overwhelming, expensive proposition for them. There are some local programs offering car seats for a donation, but due to federal grant regulations, the supply is running very low.
So, what can we do?
One answer lies in a simple local donation program through our tax collector’s office. Anyone who renews a vehicle tag can specify they want to donate an extra $2 to the child passenger safety cause. Every dollar donated in Santa Rosa County is used to purchase car seats that stay in our county. The seats are made available to parents or caregivers in need through the services of trained technicians who teach the parents how to keep their children safe in the car.
Years ago, when the program was marketed well statewide, there was a warehouse for seats in each county. Now, Santa Rosa typically gets one or two seats a year.
We can make a difference and change those numbers.
The next time you renew your vehicle tag, I urge you to write in or tell the clerk you want to donate $2 to the car seat program. It’s a “little thing” but it may save a life.
Ginny Hinton is an agent with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences Santa Rosa County Extension office.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: HINTON: Two dollars could save a Santa Rosa child’s life