Guttenberg officials say that this year’s Safe Kids Day may have been one of the most successful yet.
The ninth annual event was held last Saturday, Oct. 10, on J.F.K. Boulevard East. According to Capt. Joel Magenheimer, around 5,000 people attended the event throughout the day.
Mayor Gerald Drasheff credited the larger-than-usual crowds to the three-day weekend.
He said that the town had worked hard to defray some of the costs of the approximately $17,000 event by going with a different vendor for the rides and attractions. Drasheff believed that this year’s new rides were even better than last year’s.
Houlihan’s Restaurant of Weehawken, which gave a contribution to defray some of the town’s costs, was also present, handing out 1,500 free samples of soup.
“It’s always easier to send a message to kids if they are having fun along the way.” – Gerald Drasheff
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“It’s a day for the kids,” said Magenheimer. “It’s a great opportunity for families and kids and everyone to get together for the rides…This has been one of the best years we’ve ever had.”
Drasheff said that the event was important for the community because many people were unable to afford to take their children on vacation. This year, the town was able to bring the attractions to them.
Along with the fun, the purpose of the day was to educate children about safety. Police distributed coloring books on how to react to a fire, taught the kids how to call 911 in an emergency, and mingled with the children to get them to feel comfortable interacting with the police.
“We try to send a message [to the children], and it’s always easier to send a message to kids if they are having fun along the way,” said Drasheff
Photos by AlphaDog Solutions.