The Rotary Club of Scotts Valley last week posted nine signs near schools around town that read: “Drive Carefully … Protect Our Children.”
“Pedestrian safety requires a proactive approach,” said Rotarian John Weiss, the local police chief, after pounding metal sleeves into the rain-softened earth with a sledgehammer. The sleeves hold the signs in place.
Also helping post the signs were Weiss’ son, Conner, 11, and fellow Rotarians Rob Slawinski, Mark Rosenberg, Jill Hitchman, Marc Winquist, Patti Kustin and fire Chief Mike McMurry.
The idea for the project was sparked by a Scotts Valley resident who saw a Rotary “Drive Carefully” sign in San Lorenzo Valley and asked whether the same signs could be posted in her town. Rotary President Slawinski and Scotts Valley school superintendent and Rotarian Susan Silver liked the idea.
“We’ve had some accidents near our schools,” said Silver, who asked school principals to suggest places for the signs.
McMurry has had experience as fire chief with drivers who have hit pedestrians.
“We want to increase awareness that people need to slow down around our schools and in our neighborhoods,” he said. “It’s a real tragedy when people, especially kids, are hit by cars, and it could have been prevented simply by raising driver awareness and slowing down.”
