At a recent meeting of the York East Rotary Club, Lydia Eifer, Director of Safety Town York, shared a heartwarming and informative update on the 2025 Safety Town program — a beloved and impactful summer tradition that has been sponsored by the York East Rotary Club for almost its entirety. With 116 children participating this year, Safety Town continues to serve as an important first step in helping young children build lifelong habits of safety and awareness. Designed for children ages 3 to 8, Safety Town is a two-week educational experience held in sessions throughout the summer. Each session offers a blend of fun and practical learning through hands-on experiences, engaging activities, and direct interaction with local first responders and safety professionals. “Safety Town is more than just a summer program,” Eifer explained. “It’s a community effort to prepare our youngest citizens to navigate everyday situations safely and confidently.”

 

Program highlights include visits and demonstrations from local fire, police, and rescue departments, as well as lessons in pedestrian and rider safety, proper use of 911, drug abuse prevention, and healthy personal practices. One especially popular feature is street grid where kids ride bikes, practice crosswalks, and experience real-life traffic situations on a safe scale. The program also integrates songs, games, movies, and coloring activities to reinforce each day’s safety theme. Children enjoy singing safety songs and interactive lessons. Eifer emphasized the importance of forming good safety habits during early childhood. “These are the years when children begin to develop attitudes and patterns that can last a lifetime,” she said. “Our goal is to instill a general safe attitude that will help them make good decisions as they grow.” Safety Town is led by a certified teacher and supported by a team of educational professionals, caring assistants, and dedicated volunteers. York East Rotary members expressed their appreciation for Eifer’s dedication and for the program’s ongoing success. With another safe and successful summer wrapped up, Safety Town continues to make a lasting difference — one child, one safety lesson at a time.