Rainbow Injury Prevention Center

One hundred and seven charity-minded competitors accepted the challenge to “Get on Target for Child Safety” at the 4th Annual Safe Kids Charity Event hosted this year by the Hill ‘n Dale Club in Medina, Ohio, on September 20, 2008.  The event raised $11,590 for the Injury Prevention Center at Rainbow Babies & Children’s Hospital in Cleveland Ohio. 

Rainbow’s Injury Prevention Center is dedicated to protecting children and families from unintentional injuries, with programs in child passenger safety, sports safety, teen driving safety, fire safety, and a variety of other risk areas.  Partnering with police departments, fire departments, health professionals, churches, hospitals, schools and other civic minded groups in Cleveland and its suburbs, the Center provides information and assistance with efforts to keep our children healthy and safe.

Proceeds from this year’s event will support the Center’s Special Needs Transportation program, which focuses on safe transportation of children with special medical needs in motor vehicles, ranging from children with leg or pelvic injuries that require casting to children with muscular disorders like cerebral palsy.  The law and safety require that these fragile children be securely transported to protect them from additional trauma.  The specialized seats required for these children are limited and extremely expensive, ranging from hundreds to thousands of dollars.  In some surgical cases, these specialized seats are only needed for a short time, placing additional financial hardship on these families.  As home of the only special needs program in Northeast Ohio, Rainbow provides specialized car seats and motor vehicle restraints on a loaner basis or at a reduced cost for children who are injured or have physical or developmental problems.

The 4th Annual Safe Kids Charity Event had a number of notable sponsors, who genuinely demonstrated their commitment to child safety:

• Gold Sponsors – Stanley Steemer; Wall Street Recycling; Outback Steak House (catered event lunch); and Whitetails Unlimited (donated Trophies).
• Bronze Sponsors – Cuyahoga Plastics; Dellagnese Companies; Kennametal-Solon; and KraftMaid.
• Stations Sponsors – Dr. Douglas Cox; Drs. Richard Slaten and Kim Fury; Gary Sopnicar; House of Ruffles; Ohio Administrative District Council; Solon Italian Club; John Kurpell/Ken & Jen Taylor; South East Golf Car Company; U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance Foundation; Vast Mold & Tool Inc.; Solon VFW Post 1863; Custom Canine Company; and Zollinger, Gruber, Thomas & Co.

Ken Taylor, the shoot organizer and Injury Prevention Technician at Rainbow, worked with Hill ‘n Dale’s Shawn Spindle and Mike Coudret to set the course creating some energizing presentations for the participants.

George Bogner was “On Target” and turned in the H.O.A. score of 90.  Class winners were: M1- Rod Price 89, AA1-Russ Schaffer 86, A1-James Martin 80, B1-Thomas Thompson, C1-Dana Williamson, D1-Gary Sopnicar 77, E1-Jennifer Taylor 73, and H1-Al Carusotti 79.  Concurrent champions: SJ-1 David Radulovich 79, J-1 Jason Badovick 60, L-1 Laura Cruse 75, V-1 Thomas Thompson 84, SV-1 George Bogner 90 and.  Bill Mayer was crowned “King of the Hill” posting a 58 at the Make-a-Break!  

Each participant and sponsor will receive a disc with pictures of the event, from set up to awards ceremony.  This is a great event for a great cause, so mark your calendars and when you attend next year, remember to smile for the camera!