Ollie Otter partners with TSU C.A.R.E.S

In February of 2011, TSU C.A.R.E.S. - Children Are Restrained for Enhanced Safety Program began working with the Ollie Otter Program. Representatives from TSU C.A.R.E.S joined Ollie volunteers at visits to Mt. Juliet Elementary in Wilson County and Westmoreland Elementary and Guild Elementary in Sumner County. Sonja Revell, project specialist and Devlin Simms, also with C.A.R.E.S contacted the Ollie Otter program to contribute booster seats for the coverage region.  "We would like to donate Booster Seats!" The C.A.R.E.S. program serves low-income underserved urban rural families in their communities providing them with education and free Child Safety Seats - a perfect match for the Ollie Otter program.  Ollie volunteers visit over 300 elementary and pre schools each year. Over 90,000 children annually and with only about 40% use rate, the program was glad to partner with TSU to begin distribution of those donated booster seats.

Child Passenger Safety Technicians trained through the Governor's Highway Safety Office and Safe Kids Worldwide are scheduling appointments with families to see that the donated seats are installed properly and that families receive the educational materials necessary to keep their children properly restrained while traveling in a vehicle.

TSU C.A.R.E.S joined Ollie volunteers at several schools to see first hand the impression Ollie makes on the elementary school students and teachers.

"Being able to distribute seats to the children we speak with is really going to start making a difference in the usage rates" said Julie Brewer, manager of the Ollie Otter program.  "Support from groups like TSU C.A.R.E.S will make Tennessee roads a safer place for our children. Sometimes parents just don't know the facts about booster seat and seatbelt use, Ollie and C.A.R.E.S are changing that one booster seat at a time."  The number one cause of death for children ages 3-14 is car crashes, that is one thing we can do something about by making it easier for families to provide the tools to transport their kids safely.

For more information on the Ollie Otter program, visit www.seatbeltvolunteer.org