Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chairman Joseph Rupnick received the Safe Kids – Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation award from Safe Kids Kansas as the Coalition of the Year at an awards ceremony on 12.3.19, held in Topeka, Kansas. With him are Safe Kids Kansas State Director Cherie Sage (left) and colleague Katie Schatte (right).
12.3.19 – By: Michelle Simon
Safe Kids – Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation was recognized as the Safe Kids Kansas Coalition of the Year for outstanding contributions in reducing unintentional injury to Kansas children at an awards ceremony held on Tuesday, December 3, 2019.
Safe Kids Kansas State Director Cherie Sage distributed a total of 9 awards to area Safe Kids organizations and individuals, as follows:
Coalition of the Year: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation
Outstanding Partnership for Child Safety: Charlie’s House and McCarthy Chevrolet of Olathe
Outstanding Coalition Organization: KDHE Bureau of Family Health – Special Health Care Needs and Kiowa County EMS
Service Recognition Awards: Rachel Ault with Stormont Vail Health and Safe Kids Shawnee County, Philip Harris with KDHE Bureau of Health Promotion, and Heather Bouldrey with Volunteer for Safe Kids Johnson County
Dr. Dennis Cooley Award of Excellence: Lori Haskett with the National Highway Traffic Safety administration, Region 7.
Safe Kids – Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation was established in 2018, and the coalition is comprised of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Police department, Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Fire Department, Prairie Band Potawatomi Child Care, Prairie Band Potawatomi Wellness Connection, Prairie Band Potawatomi Tribal Victim Services, Prairie Band Potawatomi Health Center, Delia Fire Department, Royal Valley School District, Holton School District, Jackson Heights School District, Holton Police Department, Jackson County EMS, Jackson County Health Department, Holton Community Hospital, KANZA Mental Health and Holton Walmart. The focus of the coalition is to prevent injuries for all children in Jackson County, Kansas from the time they are born until age 19.
Over the course of the past year, the coalition has raised awareness about healthy sleeping and heatstroke prevention, along with providing car seat check lanes throughout Jackson county. The coalition has also sponsored a bike derby and provided free bike helmets.
Safe Kids Kansas works to prevent childhood injury, the leading cause of death and disability to children. Safe Kids Kansas is a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations dedicated to preventing injuries in children. Coalition members include over 70 statewide organizations, agencies and businesses and a network of local coalitions across the state. The lead agency for the coalition is the Kansas Department of Health and Environment. To learn more, visit www.safekidskansas.org.
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Safe Kids Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation – Coalition of the Year Award.
Service Recognition Award: Rachel Ault – Stormont Vail Health and Safe Kids Shawnee County
Service Recognition Award: Phillip Harris – KDHE Bureau of Health Promotion
Service Recognition Award: Heather Bouldrey – Volunteer for Safe Kids Johnson County
Outstanding Partnership for Child Safety: Charlie’s House
Outstanding Partnership for Child Safety: McCarthy Chevrolet
The Dr. Dennis Cooley Award of Excellence presented to Lori Haskett – National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, Region 7.
Safe Kids Kansas Awards