Safety City has begun to offer some programs on weekends. (Photo Courtesy Ross Lavigne)

By Chris Brown

Safety City now able to offer programs on weekends

May 9, 2023 | 3:18 PM

MEDICINE HAT, AB – For more than 40 years Safety City has been dedicated to improving the safety and well-being of children in the community through school-based programs.

After hearing from parents, grandparents and other guardians, Dawn Rigetti says they’ve tried to expand their reach and about a month ago began hosting three programs in smaller intervals for the general public on weekends.

“We actually just got a really great response from our Home Safe Home program that’s running this weekend. So that’s offered for ages six to nine as a preliminary program for the actual home alone course and we have six kinds in that so that’s our biggest one,” explains Safety City’s office co-ordinator.

Expanding the program offerings is a big turnaround from just a few months ago when funds were so tight a GoFundMe was started for upgrades and to keep programming running.

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Rigetti says partnerships and support from Cancarb, Methanex and the Calgary Flames Foundation have put Safety City on more stable footing. They’ve also benefitted from smaller local supporters like ATB, Enerplus, Pembina and the Medicine Hat Construction Association and grants from independent foundations and organizations.

But they do still need funding to operate their programs to their maximum potential.

Safety City is probably best known for its Ready to Ride program that teaches bike safety and the rules of the road.

Newer programs that are also available on weekends focus on two of the most prevalent issues children face these days.

“We also have Stay Cybersafe just because of its pertinence in our time right important for people to learn and kids especially to learn how to navigate and be really safe on the internet and social media,” says Rigetti.

“And we also are doing Bully Proofing and Mental Literacy. So Bully Proofing obviously touches base on anti-bullying strategies and how to prevent it and then we touch base on some mental health basics and stuff just to introduce kids to a better understanding of how they can understand their own mental health.”

Rigetti says children can bring the skills taught in the classes around managing and regulating their emotions into all other aspects of their lives.

Visit the Safety City Facebook page for more program information.