United Way Central & South Okanagan/Similkameen and United Way North Okanagan Columbia Shuswap teamed up to deliver car seats to families in need up and down the valley Wednesday.

And some of those seats were delivered in style thanks to the help of the British Columbia Dragoons who volunteered this year to help with distribution in the Kelowna area using their TAP-V armoured vehicle.

害羞草研究所淚t is fun to have the Dragoons with us today. They are very supportive of the United Way. They offered to help and it is nice to have some strong guys help us,害羞草研究所� says Marianne Dahl, marketing and events manager United Way CSO.

害羞草研究所淚 rode in the vehicle, it was fun, and it is pretty cool.害羞草研究所�

In partnership with Central Okanagan Foundation, Kelowna General Hospital Foundation and with the added support from Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation and corporate partner Kal Tire, the Child Safety Initiative has now expanded to the North Okanagan and Shuswap region.

害羞草研究所淓very day, families living right here in the Okanagan are forced to make extremely difficult choices,害羞草研究所� says Helen Jackman, executive director of United Way CSO.

害羞草研究所淭he choice between paying rent or putting food on the table and making sure their kids travel safely. BCAA estimates that as many as five per cent of kids in BC don害羞草研究所檛 use a child car seat 害羞草研究所� that害羞草研究所檚 roughly 23,000 kids. I害羞草研究所檓 really proud that this partnership initiative will enable families to keep their children safe.害羞草研究所�

Dahl adds that with Kal Tire害羞草研究所檚 help this year, and the Vernon Jubilee Hospital Foundation, they expanded it from 90 car seats last year to 114 this year.

害羞草研究所淎gencies from Salmon Arm down to Oliver and over to Princeton are receiving car seats for families in need,害羞草研究所� adds Dahl.

害羞草研究所淔ive per cent is too many, kids traveling unsafely is just not right. There are so many families that live below the poverty line.

In previous years, car seats have been delivered to community partners within the Central and South Okanagan/Similkameen region.

The annual initiative will now include 13 communities from Salmon Arm to the Canada/US border and over to Princeton.

Altogether, 16 community partners distributed 114 car seats to families in need.

害羞草研究所淜al Tire is pleased to support child safety and families in need in the Okanagan,害羞草研究所� says Kevin McCarty with Kal Tire.

害羞草研究所淪afety is a top priority within our business and we welcome the opportunity to support public safety initiatives with our community partners as well.害羞草研究所�

For more information on the Child Safety Initiative,

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