MASON CITY – The Mason City Community Policing Advisory Board sponsored a children’s safety forum Saturday at the Mason City Black Belt Academy.
Mason City police officers and martial arts experts helped teach kids how to be safe over the holidays.
Jim Ewalt, Chairman of the Community Policing Advisory Board, said that it was a fun time for all and that kids were able to learn a lot. He said that Kohl’s Department store donated items for prizes. “Everybody that came out of here was a winner today and learned about safety,” Ewalt said.
Officer Jeremy Ryal explained to children how to stay safe while trick-or-treating. “We talked to them quite a bit about being safe around traffic, crossing the streets, and having an adult around at all times,” he said. “It’s a good time to enjoy what they are doing. I told the kids several times that it wouldn’t be a very fun Halloween if we had to spend it at the hospital.”
Raul Carolus, a certified instructor with the American Taekwondo Association, and owner of the Mason City Black Belt Academy, presented a program to help minimize the risk of child abduction and victimization.
“We presented a general self-defense seminar. We wanted to do something positive for the community. We also talked about being a good friend and preventing bullying.”
Trick-or-treat will be held Monday, October 31st in Mason City and Clear Lake.
