County Lions Clubs to host benefit dinner
Comet staff report

Flora, Delphi and Camden Lions Clubs are sponsoring a Pork BBQ Dinner Thursday night to raise funds to outfit Carroll County's Head Start buses with new safety restraint systems.

Head Start is a federal government program that serves the child development needs of preschool children (birth through age five) and their low-income families.

The government mandates that Head Start provide a safety restraint system in its buses and replace that system every five years. The present restraints are due to be replaced at the end of this year.

"In the event of an accident, a rapid evacuation of the children is almost impossible with the system we use now," said bus driver John Kirkpatrick.

Flora Volunteer Fire Dept. Chief Scott Sisson agrees. "A Head Start bus rolled over on SR 18 a year or two ago. Luckily, there were no children on the bus, only the bus driver. We recognized that they had a really different seat belt arrangement. They did a good job of holding the kids in - such a good job that it would take three separate cuts with a seatbelt cutter to get the kids out."

"With a vehicle on its side or upside-down, the little tikes would have a difficult time helping you out with the seatbelts that they are presently secured in," added Sisson. "The new Safe- Guard STAR restraints that they want to purchase are a simpler system. "

To outfit both buses with new restraints will cost $3,250.

"Helping with this fundraiser will not be just a feel good donation," said Sisson. "It can have an immediate impact on the community."

All proceeds from the dinner will go toward purchasing new restraints. The dinner will be served in the park, starting at 5.

Donations for the restraints may be sent to Flora Lions Club, c/o Joe Redmon, 205 W. Maple St., Flora, IN 46929.