Ollie the Otter visits area elementary schools

June 15, 2009 08:39 pm

— On May 12, the nation's first statewide booster seat education and roadway safety campaign visited Pleasant Hill, Brown, and Crab Orchard Elementary and on May 19 Ollie visited South Cumberland Elementary. The presentation, "Ollie Otter's Booster Seat Education Presentation," features a life-size, costumed Ollie Otter safety mascot. The presentation included information about Tennessee's booster seat law, construction work zone safety, and seat belt usage. Ollie's message to students is "Under 4'9'', it's Booster Time!"
The Ollie Otter safety program is sponsored by the Tennessee Transportation Development Foundation, a nonprofit group established by the Tennessee Road Builders Association and the TRBA’s Ladies Auxiliary. The Tennessee Tech University Business Media Center in Cookeville develops the program’s marketing and communications, and coordinates the statewide presentation campaign.
Tennessee law requires that children under 4-feet 9-inches must ride in a booster seat. A statewide network of volunteers visits elementary schools with the Ollie Otter safety mascot to teach children the importance of using booster seats and seat belts. An orange and white construction site barrel representing Ollie’s home is on display to emphasize roadway safety near construction work zones.
Campaign volunteers include students from the state’s 26 Tennessee Technology Centers, members of the TRBA’s Ladies Auxiliary, numerous Rotary Club affiliates and concerned parents and community leaders.
To learn more about the Ollie Otter campaign, visit www.trba.org/ollie.

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