Monday, September 22, 2008 

(315)  798-5800

Picente Announces Primary Lead Prevention Outreach That Targets Children
 

            Oneida County Executive Anthony J. Picente, Jr. today announced the continuation of the series of puppet shows designed to teach pre-school and elementary school children about the dangers of lead poisoning.  These shows are being staged throughout September as part of Oneida County ’s Lead Primary Prevention Program.

    The next shows will run as follows:

            Tuesday, September 23, 2008 – 10:00 a.m. at Gore Rd. Head Start in Rome

Wednesday, September 24, 2008 – 11:00 a.m. at the Federated Church on Main St. West Winfield 

Thursday, September 25, 2008 – 11:00 a.m. at the Camden Head Start

Tuesday, September 30, 2008 – 11:00 a.m. at Griffiss Park Head Start in Rome

     “The debilitating effects of lead poisoning and the impact it has on our community can best be abated if we educate our families about the hazards of lead,” Picente said.  “These shows will provide a vehicle to both entertain our audience and deliver a message that children can relate to and take home with them.”

     Through the stories played out by the puppets, children and their parents are taught to recognize and avoid lead hazards, the importance of hand washing and healthy eating habits.  Staff from the Oneida County Health Department’s Lead Poisoning Primary Prevention Program will be on hand to distribute materials and answer questions on how to create and maintain a ‘lead safe’ home environment for young children and their families.

     Oneida County is one of eight counties in the state to be selected by the New York State Department of Health to conduct a pilot lead poisoning prevention program.  The venues for this series of shows were determined by identifying ‘at risk’ housing stock based on the percentage of housing built before 1970.

     “While the City of Utica is the primary target of our current efforts, I recognize the dangers posed by lead in other parts of the County and the need to extend these initiatives to those areas,” Picente said.    

     For more information on lead poisoning prevention contact the Oneida County Health Department at 266-6147 or log onto our web site at www.ocgov.net.