For the week of June 6 - June 12, 2001

Curtis endorses national child I.D. program

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Actress Jamie Lee Curtis, a Wood River Valley resident, is endorsing a new national child I.D. program.

The new system aids parents in recording their child's distinguishing features in case of an abduction. By lending her name and fame to the effort, Curtis is helping parents prepare for their worst nightmare.

This national child I.D. program is being implemented only at Blue Oval dealerships of Ford Motor Co. These were chosen by Ford by virtue of the over all high customer satisfaction ratings earned.

There are 1,591 Blue Oval certified dealerships in the country, one of which is Sawtooth Auto Sales, in Hailey.

As part of Commitment to Kids, Curtis recorded a special National Missing Children's Day America's Most Wanted episode with founder John Walsh. The program aired Saturday, May 26, on the FOX network. Curtis also was a guest on ABC’s The View and spoke last week on National Public Radio’s Morning Edition with host Bob Edwards.

"We are working with Jamie Lee Curtis and the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children," said Christine Aki, a Ford Motor Co. executive.

Parents who want to participate in the I.D. program should take their child to the Sawtooth Auto on Highway 75 in Hailey, on June 16. For each child an ID booklet, free photo and instructions will be provided. The program recommends that parents keep the kit together and store it with other valuable documents.

"One of the biggest problems if something does happen, is if all the information isn’t in one place," said Aki, "It’s a no brainer."

According to FBI and NCMEC statistics, more than 750,000 children were reported missing last year ¾ more than 2,100 each day ¾ and 2,896 cases of on-line child exploitation were prosecuted in 1999, up 700 from the previous year. In the District of Columbia, 3,560 cases of missing children were reported last year alone.

"A few minutes on a weekend gives parents precious peace of mind and law enforcement a valuable tool if a child is lost," said Walsh, father of an abducted child. "Ford's Blue Oval Certified Commitment to Kids program enables us to reach thousands of communities nationwide with safety I.D. kits that should be in every parent's hands."

Kurt Archibald, general manager of Sawtooth Auto Sales said, "Our status as a Blue Oval Certified Dealership means that we are personally committed to our customers both in and out of the vehicle. Our commitment to the kids program extends that personal commitment beyond our customers to all the parents and children of the Wood River Valley."

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