There will be a celebration of half a century of saving lives on farms in Bruce County tonight in Chepstow.
The Bruce County Farm Safety group marking its 50th anniversary with a special dinner and safety presentation this evening.
Linda Freiburger is the Secretary Treasurer of the group and says over the years they have been very successful in reducing the number of deaths and injuries that occur on the farm.
She says 50 years ago the organization was instrumental in getting school buses equipped with flashing red lights to warn motorists that rural children were getting on or off the bus.
Freiburger says when first started with the organization back in the 1970, more than 30 people a year were being killed in farm related accidents.
She says that number has now been reduced to the low teens and the ultimate goal is to reduce farm fatalities to zero as soon as possible.
Freiburger says this years 50th anniversary dinner will feature a presentation on the Saugeen Conservation Authorities Children’s safety village which will be constructed on five acres of land at the Conservation Authority’s headquarters just south of Hanover.
She says there will be 10 thousand children going through that village every year, and those children will bring home a safety message to their parents, and that will have an impact on farm safety.
Tonight’s Farm Safety anniversary event gets underway at 6:30 PM at Mary Immaculate Church Hall in Chepstow.
