Children learn important farm-safety lessons at annual Wellesley event

Children participate in farm-safety activities during Children's Farm Safety Day at Lebold Dairy Farms near Wellesley on Saturday. The annual event is sponsored by Waterloo Rural Women and focuses on teaching young people about staying safe on the farm. Wendy Richardson photo

By Gary West

Area children had the opportunity to learn valuable farm-safety lessons during the annual Children's Farm Safety Day held Saturday at Lebold Dairy Farms west of Wellesley.

Sponsored each year by Waterloo Rural Women, the event combines hands-on learning, demonstrations, activities and games to teach young people about the importance of staying safe around farm equipment, livestock and agricultural workplaces.

This year's event was hosted by Terry and Sue Lebold and their family, who welcomed a large crowd of children, volunteers, organizers and parents to their farm.

Organizers say farm-safety education remains important in rural communities, where children are often exposed to farm machinery, animals and other potential hazards from an early age.

Throughout the day, participants took part in interactive activities designed to help them recognize risks and learn safe practices around the farm.

The annual event continues to be a popular educational opportunity for local families and serves as a reminder that awareness and prevention are key to reducing accidents and injuries on farms.

With strong community support and excellent participation, organizers considered this year's event another successful step in promoting farm safety among the next generation of rural residents.