August 13 Austin ISD Back to School Bash

Alissa Schram, Capital Metro Community Involvement Coordinator, and I handed out Capital Metro and Operation Lifesaver materials at the Austin ISD "Back to School Bash" on Saturday, August 13, from 9:00-12:00 noon.  The "Bash" is a major community event at which children's backpacks, bike helmets and other stuff is given away while up to 40 or 50 community organizations hand out educational materials on particular topics.  Our table handed out piggybanks that look like MetroRail trainsets (some 500 of them, until we ran out).  We also had a lot of different Capital Metro pamphlets and rail safety items, including refrigerator magnets, rulers, activity books, book covers, etc.  I would estimate we probably had at least 750 folks come by our table.  I brought my Railroad Crossing sign so that helped attract folks.  I took home whatever was left over so we have more material for future safety fairs.  Best of all, the Bash was indoors, with air-conditioning.  I participated in this event on behalf of Railroad Partners, Inc. (RPI), a rail corridor preservation group (see railroadpartners.com) which supports rail safety in all railroad corridors.

Here's some photos: