CULLMAN, Ala. – The weather didn’t want to cooperate at first on Saturday morning, but the 27th annual Cullman Safe Kids Expo went on as planned. Hosts from Brooks’ Place Child Advocacy Center were ready to declare the event a success as the sun came out around lunchtime.
Brooks’ Place Director Gail Swafford told The Tribune, “We have a good turnout, better than I really expected. We’ve actually got a couple of new folks that have joined forces with us, that provide service like physical therapy and some folks that are trying to raise awareness at (the Cullman County Child Development Center), you know they’re doing the special playground up there. I think it’s turned out pretty good.”
Wallace State nursing students put on puppet shows, Cullman Regional offered free health screenings, and Desperation Church fixed hot dogs for visitors. Kids and their parents could get ID kits, along with fun stuff like face painting, handprint art, popcorn, drinks and sno cones at various booths around the Sportsman Lake picnic area. Cullman Caring for Kids, the Cullman County Human Trafficking Task Force and multiple special needs advocates were also present to share information about their groups and causes, while the Cullman County Sheriff’s Office displayed equipment.
Big draws for a lot of kids looking for hands-on fun included the motorcycle display by Bikers Against Child Abuse (BACA) and the Cullman Police Department’s JetRanger helicopter. Children took turns sitting at the helicopter controls and getting their pictures taken on the bikes. At many of the stops around the grounds, kids picked up candy and other gifts.
Cullman County District Judge Kim Chaney, who founded Cullman’s Safe Kids Expo in 1993, talked about the event:
“We wanted a focus on children’s safety, and we wanted to get all the folks who participate in that and child advocates together in one place. So we came up with the idea of the Safe Kids Expo in 1993 and, at that time, it was an ID thing. We actually came and they took Polaroid pictures of kids; we had booklets that we gave parents.
“And then we have everybody who is involved in safety issues with children: education, DHR, Cullman Caring for Kids, Brooks’ Place, everybody in one place to come, that had booths, that would come hand out safety information to make sure children are safe.
“We expanded to law enforcement. We had law enforcement come; they were very eager to come and participate. And then, of course, we had first responders who wanted to start coming, so (kids) would be less afraid of the vehicles (and) they would understand what firemen do. Then we had fire safety brought into it. Then we had ambulances come, because we wanted to make sure that those children understood those roles.
“So, basically, it’s just all child advocates who are concerned about safety issues with children; it’s a place for them to come in one place. That’s how it started. It first started out with Juvenile Court and Juvenile Probation, and it’s been handed over a couple of times since then. And I think now Brooks’ place has taken the mantle up, because it’s a huge undertaking to get everything organized and get everything here. So Juvenile Court’s backed out of it, but it’s still going forward.”
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Judge Kim Chaney, who founded the Safe Kids Expo, with Brooks’ Place Director Gail Swafford Saturday at Sportsman Lake Park (W.C. Mann for The Cullman Tribune)
