Roundup for Safety supports traffic education
Whitefish Trail volunteers braved the heat last Monday to install trail crossing signs at road/trail intersections around the Beaver Lakes Area thanks to previous grant funding from the Coop’s Round Up for Safety. (Photo from Whitefish Legacy Partners)
On July 11, Flathead Electric Cooperative’s Roundup for Safety program approved $19,668 in grants supporting community safety projects proposed by local nonprofit organizations.
School District #5 requested $2,400 to purchase dashboard cameras for its eight traffic education vehicles, four at Glacier High School and four at Flathead High School.
Instructor Aaron Denney informed the Roundup for Safety Board that traffic education is a self-funded program. Annually, it serves over 600 students in the classroom and behind the wheel. The eight instructional vehicles each have a "chicken" brake and second mirror in the passenger seat for instructors.
Denney explained that adding dashboard cameras to the vehicles will “provide footage of real-life driving experiences in our area that will greatly enhance the learning experience for students in the classroom, while also giving each student the chance to review errors once they are out of the car.”
“Our aim is to promote safer driving practices and reduce the risk of accidents among new drivers,” Denney continued. “With the support of this grant, we're dedicated to cultivating a culture of safety on the roads.”
The Roundup for Safety Board discussed the potential wide impact of increased driver safety and awarded the full amount requested for the cameras.
July grantees also include:
· Flathead Rivers Alliance – swift water rescue training -- $2,268
· Land to Hand – ADA ramp and parking lot improvement -- $6,000
· ABS Park – fencing -- $4,000
· Climate Smart Glacier Country – HEPA filters -- $5,000
Roundup for Safety funding comes from participating Flathead Electric Cooperatives members who allow their monthly electric bills to be rounded up to the nearest dollar. The program costs each member about $6 per year and has provided over $5 million in funding since 1997. To learn more, visit Roundup for Safety - Flathead Electric Cooperative.