Commissioner Jim Cawley Introduces Bee Diddy to Students at Churchville Elementary School
This spring the Bucks County Dept. of Health (BCDOH) held a contest among schools in the county to find a name for the new immunization mascot and of the 25 submitted, Churchville Elementary School in the Council Rock School District earned the distinction of having their name chosen for the mascot.
Commissioner Jim Cawley, along with nurses from the BCDOH introduced Bee Diddy to an assembly of the kindergarten through 3rd grade classes at the school on April 25th, and presented their prizes. They included a Glitterbug hygiene machine, which helps teach children to properly wash their hands using a black-light, a soft-pretzel party for the entire school and a $250.00 gift certificate for teacher supplies.
“You are all heroes today because you are helping make kids all over the county aware of the importance of childhood immunizations,” Cawley told students assembled Wednesday morning.
April 21-28, National Infant Immunization Week, promotes the benefits of immunizations and focuses on the importance of immunizing infants against vaccine-preventable diseases by age two. The Bucks County Commissioners remind parents that immunizations are one of the most important ways they can protect their children against serious diseases.
The Bucks County Health Department is observing weeklong activities with the introduction of Bee Diddy, the county’s immunization mascot, who was born through the efforts of the Bucks County Immunization Coalition. The coalition, chaired by representatives of the health department, is comprised of individuals from local hospitals, the county’s Area Agency on Aging, the School Nurses Association, the Bucks County Health Improvement Project (BCHIP) and pharmaceutical representatives from Bucks.
Bee Diddy and his Bee Keeper are played by members of the Rho Kappa Epsilon fraternity at Delaware Valley College as part of their community service work. Look for them during spring and summer health fairs, and at the BCHIP family walk at Tyler State Park on April 28. He made his inaugural appearance as Bee Diddy at the commissioners’ meeting on April 18.
According to the health department, over 6,000 of doses of various vaccines were administered to those 18 and under, and over 2,000 specifically to infants 24 months or under, in its clinics as part of the county’s Vaccines for Children program in 2006.
Add comment April 26th, 2007