KHI News Service
TOPEKA, Dec. 5
The Safe Kids Kansas Coalition named Dr. Dennis Cooley, a Topeka pediatrician, its 2006 Outstanding Coalition Member.
The group went a step further in honoring Cooley: They renamed the award for him.
The “Dr. Dennis Cooley Award of Excellence” was presented to the doctor during the coalition”s annual meeting Tuesday.
“We take this opportunity to recognize Dr. Cooley for his commitment to Safe Kids Kansas and his dedication to the safety of the children in our state,” said Jan Stegelman, the group”s coordinator.
Others who received awards from Safe Kids Kansas on Tuesday:
* Janette Fennell, of Leawood, received the Outstanding Achievement in Childhood Safety Award. Fennell is the founder and president of KIDS AND CARS, a national nonprofit organization that works to prevent injury and death to children caused by motor vehicles.
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Kansas Action for Children received the Outstanding Coalition Organization Award for its contribution to the mission and goals of Safe Kids in the area of child passenger safety. KAC staff members have recently worked to strengthen the state”s child passenger safety law and to develop and implement a long-term strategy to inform parents and children about the importance of booster seats.
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Safe Kids Metro Kansas City received the Local Coalition of the Year award. The coalition sponsored media and service events aimed at educating at-risk and minority groups throughout the Kansas City metropolitan area.
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Tammy Bartels of Tonganoxie received the Volunteer of the Year award. Bartels supported Safe Kids Kansas within the Kansas PTA, and assisted in developing state and local fire safety programs.
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Cindy D”Ercole of Kansas Action for Children received the Service Recognition award for her leadership to advocates and volunteers as the chair of the organization”s public policy committee, resulting in passage of the booster seat law in the 2006 legislative session.
Safe Kids Kansas, Inc. is a nonprofit Coalition of 67 statewide organizations and businesses dedicated to preventing injuries to Kansas children. Safe Kids Kansas a member of Safe Kids Worldwide, a global network of organizations whose mission is to prevent accidental childhood injury.