Project Highlight and summary
The Saugeen Safety Village features interactive Classrooms and a Miniature Village with down-sized buildings, paved roadways, traffic lights, road signs, and hands-on safety demonstration sites. Full and half day Safety Programs focus on school-age children from Kindergarten to Grade Six with no charge for attending schools.
Grey Federation is expanding agricultural safety knowledge by donating material, some of which would be a permanent part of the overall exhibit. Through this revive project Grey Federation created farm activity books, provided Farm and Food Care Real Dirt on Farming magazines and donated 2 ride on tractors to be part of the village.
Promotional coverage –
Information was shared with local schools before the end of the school year about opportunities to visit the safety village (with there class through the school or during summer month at Safety Days)
Facebook/Twitter posts as well as coverage in the Rural Voice magazine (September 2023 issue)
Describe lasting and relevant impact to the OFA membership
The impact to the membership will be an improved relationship between farmers and non farmers as we educate the importance of our farming community to local neighbours. This project is also fostering a healthy relationship with today’s youth to help promote agriculture in healthy ways, and to build a more hands on learning environment for youth to experience this industry with a more in person approach. Building future farmers.
Describe lasting and relevant impacts to greater community
Keeping our children safe both on and off the farm is paramount for a healthy community. We are instrumental in the educational component of this. An example would be to have them understand why big equipment is on the road and how to safely pass these vehicles, or farm animal safety and the size of these animals as well as the purposes they serve to farming. Education for youth about where their food comes from.
Indicate any partner organizations
Saugeen Safety Village is the beneficiary of this initiative. They are not partnering financially; they are facilitating the education with their staff/volunteer as well as our federation members.
Bonus – any lessons learned, or surprises?
When reaching out and explaining our project we received additional support from a local business.
Another benefit was discussions around the board table have lead to a new project moving forward. The federation is initiating a new fundraising effort to build a barn at the Safety village to expand on the agricultural teaching opportunities (Proposed budget $50,000).