Published 10/12/07

Car dealer partners with Safe Kids Snohomish County

by Beckye Randall

Roy Robinson is a familiar business name in north Snohomish County. Most residents are probably already aware that the dealership, located in Marysville at 6616-35th Ave. NE, is a full-service Chevrolet, Subaru and motorhome sales operation.

In fact, Roy Robinson Chevrolet, Subaru and Motorhome Center has been the county’s used car sales leader for over 20 years, and consistently earns corporate awards for new car sales, customer service and automotive care.

What may be less well-known is the company’s commitment to community service, and its enthusiastic partnership with the Safe Kids Snohomish County coalition.

Safe Kids Snohomish County is part of the worldwide Safe Kids International organization, currently operating in 16 countries. The program, which aims to prevent accidental injuries to children, was developed by professionals at Children’s Hospital in Washington, D.C. Nationally, the program is sponsored by GM and Chevrolet.

Safe Kids focuses on water safety, bike safety and automotive safety for kids from birth to 14 years of age. The program’s lead sponsor locally is Providence Hospital of Everett. Shawneri Guzman is a hospital employee and the coordinator for Safe Kids Snohomish County.

As a data analyst for the hospital’s trauma services, Guzman was well aware of the dangers faced by children everyday. “Statistically, from birth to 4 years the highest probability of death in Snohomish County is through drowning,” said Guzman. “For ages 5 to 9, the biggest risk is vehicle accidents.”

Part of the reason for that increase may be that kids are graduating too early from booster seats, according to Guzman.

Mary Borges of the Washington State Department of Health added that Washington was the first state to pass a booster seat law in 2002. The regulations were updated in 2007 to require booster seats for children up to age 8 or 4’9” in height.

Borges added some sobering statistics: “The National Highway Traffic Safety Commission has found that car seats, when properly used, can decrease the risk of death in a motor vehicle accident by 71 percent for infants, and by 54 percent for toddlers.”

Educating parents and caregivers about the risks and ways to keep their kids safe is an ongoing challenge for Safe Kids Snohomish County. And that’s where Roy Robinson comes in.

Safe Kids mounts an interactive safety display at dozens of local events throughout the year. Whether it’s at the Evergreen State Fair, an Aquasox game, or at center court in the Everett Mall, staff members from the dealership are involved.

“We do a Spot the Tot activity that can be an eye-opening experience for parents,” said Frank Graham, Roy Robinson’s training and business development consultant. “We provide an SUV for the demonstration that includes a mat with dots placed every couple of feet. When a toddler is standing just a few feet behind the vehicle, he is totally invisible to the parent in the driver’s seat.” In fact, said Graham, a toddler has to be 20 feet in back of the vehicle before he or she can be seen in the rear view mirror.

“The best thing for a parent or caregiver to do is walk completely around the vehicle before taking off,” said Graham. He also recommends backup cameras and monitors, which can purchased from car dealers and auto accessories stores.

Roy Robinson’s commitment to the non-profit Safe Kids coalition is a result of the work done by Guzman and Borges, said Graham. “There are three types of people who work for non-profit organizations. The first consider it a job, a paycheck. For the second group, it’s professionally fulfilling. The third type, like Mary and Shawneri, do it because it’s a calling.”

“Commitments are a result of partnerships,” he said, noting that businesses want to support community efforts but organizations must be able to demonstrate the benefits of those partnerships. “It’s much more than a one-time donation. We want to build ongoing relationships with the causes we support, and Safe Kids Snohomish County made it easy to do that.”

Gordon Bjorg, president of Roy Robinson Chevrolet said, “We have been involved in our community for over 37 years and we have not run across a program with a greater potential to positively impact children and families than Safe Kids.”

In recognition of the effective partnership, Roy Robinson and Safe Kids Snohomish County were honored last October at the annual Safe Kids Worldwide Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C.

The company’s involvement with Safe Kids Snohomish County has not let up. Graham convinced GM corporate executives to include a Safe Kids display at the King County International Auto Show, October 25-29 at Qwest Field, which is quite an accomplishment in itself. Changing or adding to the standard corporate display required the support of Chevrolet’s Juan Rivera, head of the corporate Standards for Excellence program, and many hours of persuasive phone calls.

Frank Graham is a vocal proponent of child safety, but he recognizes that the issue is not important only to families.

“A traumatic injury to an employee’s child can have a devastating effect on the business,” Graham said. “Besides the emotional and financial drain on the employee, and the resulting loss of productivity, a company’s insurance premiums may be adversely affected by one significant injury.”

“It’s in every company’s interest to focus on employee and family wellness,” Graham continued. “Costco is an example of a company in our area that is proactive about worker safety, and they sponsor programs to expand that focus to their employees’ families.”

Safe Kids of Snohomish County has a passionate and enthusiastic partner in Roy Robinson Chevrolet, Subaru and Motorhome Center. Frank Graham, general manager Mark King and owner Gordon Bjorg Jr. are committed to promoting child safety in the Snohomish County area.

Sidebar:

Roy Robinson’s community involvement extends beyond the Safe Kids Snohomish County coalition. The company is also an active partner in programs that benefit military personnel and their families.

The company was one of the first Snohomish County businesses to embrace the Military Family-Friendly Employment Initiative, introduced by the Greater Marysville Tulalip Chamber of Commerce, and are actively recruiting military dependents for current job openings.

The dealership also provides RVs for the Everett Navy Base when ships are scheduled for homecomings.

“I remember my time in the Navy and how we looked forward to coming home from a cruise. It was a really big deal – especially for dads who hadn’t seen their new babies yet,” said Gordon Bjorg, president of Roy Robinson Chevrolet, Subaru and Motorhome Center.

Mr. Bjorg continued, “A few years ago, I received a call from the commanding officer’s wife asking if we could provide motorhomes for new moms to use as baby changing and nursing stations. When the Lincoln came home, I asked how many new babies had been born and was told 73! We provided 5 motorhomes and the Navy was very pleased. We have been invited to provide them ever since, and are proud to do so.”