FROM STAFF REPORTS
Aurora -- Safety Town, the summer program which incoming kindergartners can participate in to learn about safety issues, celebrated its 40th anniversary during the summer of 2012.
One of the persons attending was Laura George, whose father -- former Police Chief Ted George -- launched the program when he was a sergeant on the force. Also on hand were Barb Kudley and Jennifer Sweet, who were teenage volunteers in 1972, the program's first year.
George, whose brother Ken was also a volunteer, recalled how in 1972 she drove to pick up reel-to-reel movies that were shown to the classes. Her dad retired in 1989 and died in 2009.
Bill Laubscher, who wrote the lyrics for the Safety Town song "Seymour the Safety Owl," also was on hand. He helped George develop the program.
"There were very few Safety Towns when we started. Since then, the concept has really grown," Laubscher said.
Topics covered in Safety Town include bike, seat belt, outdoor, gun, personal body, bus, electricity, water, weather and pedestrian safety, poison prevention and general safety rules for at home and at school.
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