FORT STEWART, Ga. - In honor of Child Abuse Prevention Month and the Month of the Military Child, the City of Hinesville held its annual Safe Kids Day, May 8.
"Here we have organizations, different departments and businesses in the city that deal with children and children's issues, giving information and answering questions for parents," said Officer John Williams, Hinesville crime prevention officer. "We have doctors, military groups, Girl Scouts, Liberty County Emergency Management, 4H, exceptional children programs... every aspect of child information is here."
Many Fort Stewart organizations took part in the event, including the Stewart-Hunter Military Working Dogs unit, the Fort Stewart Safety Office and the Winn Army Community Hospital Department of Preventative Medicine.
"Being a military town, we have a lot of people PSCing, and this day lets them know what the City of Hinesville and the surrounding area has to offer for children," Williams said. "We do this every year because this is a very transient area."
Sergeant Nicholas Briggs and Sgt. Kelvin Barnes represented the 385th Military Police Company, along with Staff Sgt. Schester, 6, a Belgian Malinois, and Staff Sgt. Perda, 8, a German Shephard.
"We're here to inform the public of our capabilities, and about military working dogs," said Sgt. Barnes. "We're also here to promote public safety."
"This is a military community and having the military take part in community events like this forms better relationships," said Sgt. Briggs.
As May is motorcycle safety month, the Fort Stewart safety office was at Safe Kids Day to share important safety information.
"We're here to support Hinesville, and to talk about motorcycle safety with the parents," said Jeff Willis of the Safety Office. "With the children, we're talking about overall safety."
Ardell Farr brought her grandson, Christopher, 5, to the event.
"We want to make sure he's not scared of everything, but also to know when to be scared," she said. "We just want him to be safe."
In addition to the booths, there was a Safe House trailer from the Hinesville Fire Department, and a fingerprinting station.
Private First Class Ruby Costas, 366th Chemical Company, brought her son, Ethan, 2, to be fingerprinted.
"In case anything ever happens, if he goes missing, this is the quickest way to find him," she said.
Safe Kids Day was just another example of the strong bonds that tie together Fort Stewart and Hinesville.
"(Fort Stewart) is Hinesville," said Williams. "We work together as one unit."
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