Sheriff Tim Gerard of the Arlington Sheriff's Department checks the fit of a car seat for 3-year-old Aman Rahman, who attends the Center for Alexandria's Children's playgroup. Photo Contributed
Alexandria — The Giving Circle of Alexandria sponsored a car seat workshop on June 8 for families that participate in playgroups for low-income families. These playgroups enables The Giving Circle to reach children who otherwise might not receive any preparation for kindergarten.
Volunteers from the Alexandria Sheriff’s Department, Arlington Sheriff’s Department, and Prince William County Police Department and Fire and Rescue joined together at the First Baptist Church to provide inspection services free of charge. The Giving Circle of Alexandria provided new car seats and boosters for families that needed them.
Also present at the workshop were Tarsha Rice, playgroup coordinator for the Campagna Center; Carri Stoltz, playgroup coordinator for the Center for Alexandria’s Children; and Melanie Lugo from the Alexandria office of the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.
During the inspections, the sheriffs educated families about car and booster seat safety. As an example, one family had a three-year old in an infant car seat. Their six-year old child was in a convertible seat that was too small. The sheriffs installed a new convertible seat for the three-year old and a new booster seat for the six-year old, while sharing with the family what made these seats safer for the children.
More information about The Giving Circle of Alexandria and its mission can be found at www.givingfullcircle.com.