AUTHOR: David Panko
EMAIL: pankowealthmanagement@gmail.com
AGENCY: Patton Township
David Panko, President, Patton Township Business Association
The Patton Township Children’s Safety Fair is an annual, fun filled, free event that allows children in our community to interact with our community’s police officers, fire fighters and EMS personnel and develop positive relationships with them. The Patton Township Police Department and the Patton Township Business Association have co-sponsored the event since 2002. Our goal is to offer fun activities for kids that promote safety and help them to develop trust with first responders in a friendly, non-emergency setting.
The kids will be able to ride in the bucket of the Alpha Fire Company’s aerial ladder firetruck and wear “kid size” firefighter equipment from the Boalsburg Fire Company to extinguish an imaginary fire with a real firehose and water. Centre Region Code will offer “Burn Trailer” demonstrations throughout the day to teach kids how to safely exit a burning building. Brian Sampsel, Centre County Sheriff, and Centre LifeLink will have equipment for the kids to explore.
Police Departments from Bellefonte, Ferguson Township, Patton Township, Penn State, Spring Township, State College and the Pennsylvania State Police will allow the kids to sit in their police cars, interact with their technology and better understand a police officer’s job. Parents can have their kids fingerprinted and their child safety seats inspected.
Over two dozen members of the Patton Township Business Association are contributing. Wegmans is sponsoring a large climbing wall. State College Access Church, Happy Valley Hotels and Bobby Rahal Honda are each sponsoring a bounce house for kids. HFL Hotels is sponsoring a Farm Hopper Animal Maze. Home Depot will offer their Kid’s Workshop and Lowe’s will have fun activities for kids. The State College Elks will teach kids how to avoid recreational drugs and the Boy Scouts will conduct a Pinewood Derby.
The kids can play on Glenn O. Hawbaker’s backhoe and dump truck, have their face painted by Harmony of State College, play games to win prizes with Centre Care, Cracker Barrel, Home Nursing Agency, Jersey Mike’s Subs, ReMax, Texas Roadhouse, and the Youth Service Bureau. The Professional Women in Building Council (Builder’s Association) will have an activity to encourage young women who have an interest in the home building trades.
Seven Mountains Media and Panko Wealth Management are also event sponsors.
Several popular food trucks will have food available at the fair: Beech Hollow BBQ, Bonnie Blue’s, Brazilian Munchies, Happy Dishes, Sunset Slush and more.
WOWY and 3WZ will host live radio broadcasts throughout the day.
I invite you to join us on October 9th from 10AM until 3PM in the Target/Wegmans parking lot. Bring your kids, your grandkids and your neighbor’s kids. Admission is free.