Cicero officials cut ribbon on improved Safety Town Park
Town President Larry Dominick and officials of the Town of Cicero and many donors cut the ribbon on the newly improved Safety Town Park on Wednesday May 11 where First Grade school children learn about safety.
Safety Town, located to 5444 W. 34th Street, provides classrooms and an outdoor park with resembling a small community where children are taught safety techniques.
Each day, a class of young children from Cicero District 99 schools spends the day there learning how to be vigilant and then receive certificates to acknowledge the training.
The renovation of Safety Town was directed by Diana Dominick, Director of the Cicero Senior Center who also received support from two dozen donors.
(Click to view more photos of the event on Facebook.)
“It is my absolute pleasure to welcome you this morning to our special gathering and this opportunity to honor and thank our most generous donors,” Diana Dominick said.
“I truly give our donors my heartfelt thanks. Your support is invaluable for our mission. Your support assists in our ability to fulfill our educational mission and to provide such meaningful opportunities to our young children.”
Diana Dominick thanks President Dominick, the donors and officials of the Town of Cicero who helped make the Grand Opening a success.
“Today I have the honor of initiating the grand opening of Safety Town Park that encompasses a program that teaches important information about safety to the children in our community while assisting the First Grade students in their educational institutions in reading programs and youth activities.”
Children are taught the importance of dialing 9-1-1 to contact police, understand the meaning of streets signs, how and when to cross the streets safely, train rules and more.
Dominick said that Diana had inquired about launching a renovation of Safety Town and turning to local businesses to help the Town in funding the improvements.
“It is always a blessing to be with people and always nice to see things happening to improve services for our families and children,” Dominick said.
“I want to thank my wife Diana and our Clerk Maria Punzo-Arias for all the hard work, and all of the officials and the donors for supporting this improvement. We want to give our children better choices so they are not vulnerable to the influences of street gangs and crime.”
Anthony Grazzini, grant administrator at School District 99, expressed the importance of Safety Town.
“It’s not just a safety program that happens inside the park but an opportunity for the children to interact with the Police and Fire Department, inside the classroom space, to learn to trust our First Responders, to build on the safety that exist sin Cicero,” Grazzini said.
“We are excited about the opportunity that this provides to build the great relationships that exist and as President Dominick said so powerfully, to create options for kids so they don’t get involved with the wrong crowds.”
Housing Commissioner and School District 99 Board Chairman Tom Tomschin also thank President Dominick for the renovation of Safety Town Park
Dominick said that Safety Town will be supervised by Fred Garza.
“Like President Dominick said, he wanted to improve the life of one child every day and that is what we continue to do,” Garza said.
“This is what this program is about. It is about educating children, First Graders, how to call 9-1-1, fire safety, train safety, crossing a street. Everything that every child needs to learn.”
Afterwards, the officials including Supervisor Joe Virruso, Punzo-Arias, Assessor Emilio Cundari, Collector Fran Reitz and Trustees Victor Garcia, Bob Porod, John Cava and Blanca Vargas presented the certificates to each of the children.
President Dominick said his next project is to create at 18th and Laramie “Handicapped Accessible Park,” a park for children with handicaps and all children.
Donors who helped fund the renovation include:
Gold Rush
M & R Transmissions Inc.
El Porvenir Inc.
El Ranchero Western Wear
Con Huevos
Golden Corral
Abel De Valente Tailoring
United Grill Restaurant Inc
Azul & Rosa Inc
KMP Sales Inc
Tropical Optical
Pat Deganutti
John Deganutti
USA Automotive Warehouse
Algor
Supermercado La Chiquita
Cermak Produce Inc.
Carnaval Travel Service, Inc.
1017 Barber Lounge LLC
Aracely’s Bakery, Inc
Cicero Voters Alliance
Paris Perfume Outlet
Supermercado Torres
Supermercado Trejo
Taqueria Los Altos De Jalisco
Berwyn Foot And Ankle
Super Espiga
The Royal Group
