WHEREAS, the safety and well being of children is a priority of this state; and

WHEREAS, more than 200,000 children are injured on playgrounds in the United States each year equaling an average of one playground-related emergency room visit every two-and-one-half minutes; and

WHEREAS, the National Program for Playground Safety has identified key areas that could help substantially reduce the number of playground injuries and keep our children SAFE- providing: proper supervision, age appropriate equipment, materials to soften falls to the surface, and equipment maintenance; and

WHEREAS, it is appropriate to set aside a week each year for the direction and thought on how to keep our children safer on playgrounds; and

WHEREAS, spring is often a time that children head to the playground and a large percentage of playground injuries occur from April through June; and

WHEREAS, schools, parks and other public facilities are preparing for summer season and playground participants; and

WHEREAS, all of us that care about children make the commitment that no Idaho child shall play on an unsafe playground; and

WHEREAS, the National Program for Playground Safety has designated April 24th - 28th, 2006, as National Playground Safety Week:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, DIRK KEMPTHORNE, Governor of the State of Idaho, do hereby proclaim April 24th through 28thj, 2006, to be

PLAYGROUND SAFETY WEEK

in Idaho, and urge all citizens to join in this observance

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand and caused to be affixed the Great seal of the State of Idaho at the Capitol in Boise on this thirteenth day of April in the year of our Lord two thousand and six and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred thirtieth and the Statehood of Idaho the one hundred sixteenth.