For the 24th year, Division 20 Kiwanis Clubs have done their part to help keep Central Illinois children safe on the road.
On July 7, the clubs donated 130 car seats to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois during a car seat safety check at East Peoria’s central fire station. Children’s Hospital kept 33 of the seats and gave others to various area organizations in need.
These organizations include Tazewell County Health Department, Pekin Hospital, Catholic Charities, Methodist Medical Center and Proctor Hospital.
“One of the goals of the Kiwanis Clubs is actually helping children out,” said Shauna Skowronski, Children’s Miracle Network coordinator. “There is a need for car seats.”
The donated convertible car seats can be switched from rear to forward facing and accommodate children up to 40 pounds. The donations to purchase the car seats are spearheaded by the Past Lieutenant Governor’s Association.
“The people of the Past Lt. Gov.’s Association serve as overseers in our division, Division 20, which has about 16 clubs in it,” said Division 20 Past Lt. Gov. Ken Hauer. “We collect the money, give it to Shauna, she orders the seats and we get it done.”
Division 20 Kiwanis Clubs include Canton, Dunlap, East Peoria, Elmwood, Eureka, Hanna City-Farmington, IVC Chillicothe, Limestone, Morton, Pekin, Peoria-Downtown, Peoria Heights, South-West of Peoria, Suburban Peoria and Tremont.
Hauer said members of the Kiwanis Clubs have been donating to the Children’s Hospital since 1960.
“It’s growing, little by little,” Hauer added. “This year we’ve been very pleased we’ve been able to get 130 car seats.”
Skowronski said that $6,082.10 was donated this year by the local Kiwanis Clubs. Division 20 clubs have donated a total $35,392.70 to the Children’s Hospital of Illinois over the years.
“Not all of that has gone to car seats,” Skowronski said. “But that’s been their donation to Children’s Hospital.”
Donated funds that have not been used to purchase car seats, she added, go to “our area that has the greatest need.”
The car seat check provided a chance for those receiving seats to learn how they are installed properly.
Erin Durbin, certified car seat technician and instructor with the Children’s Hospital of Illinois, said technicians make sure the car seat is in correctly, that the child is in correctly and the seat is not expired. She said it is also important that parents know the correct way to install and use their children’s car seats.
