My son brought home a flier from preschool with information on this event: Banner Thunderbird Children’s Safety Fair. It looks to be a TON of fun! Definitely will try to take my little guy over there after t-ball on Saturday. He LOVES fire trucks!

Date: Saturday, April 26, 2008

Where: Peoria Sports Complex (16101 N. 83rd Ave., Peoria)

Time: 10am-2pm From the Banner Thunderbird Hospital website:

Winner of a Westmarc 2007 Best of the West Award, the safety fair is a collaborative effort between the Glendale-based medical center and neighboring Glendale and Peoria Fire and Police Departments, area businesses and state agencies to deliver a unified message of child and family safety.

Covering everything from fire, home and bicycle safety to stranger danger and Internet predators, the event is an interactive and enjoyable opportunity to educate families on ways to protect themselves. Inflatable activity centers, live music and performance from local cheer squads, dance teams, gymnastics and martial arts studios will add to the excitement.

The first 1,200 children, up to 16 years of age, will receive a free bicycle safety helmet, compliments of Banner Thunderbird Children’s Center.

Interactive games, fire escape demonstrations, safe target shooting demonstrations and face painting are just some of the activities that will serve to entertain children. Notable safety figures may include McGruff the Crime Dog, Smokey the Bear and the Crash Test Dummies promote good safety practices. Banner Thunderbird will also be accepting new, unwrapped toy donations on behalf of Andrea’s Closet—a non-profit organization with hospital-based toy closets established in honor of Andrea Nicole Brunk, a little girl who passed away from leukemia shortly before her 10th birthday. Andrea’s Closet provides toys to the pediatric patients of Banner Thunderbird and other hospitals throughout Arizona.

For more information on the Banner Thunderbird Children’s Safety Fair, please call (602) 865-5733.