Ten-year volunteer helps children stay safe in the sunshine state
Law enforcement officers aren't the only people spreading Eddie Eagle's safety message across the country. This great article by Eddie Eagle Program Coordinator Katie McDermott highlights just one of the generous volunteers who give their time to ensure our children know what to do if they come across a firearm.
John Gluck of Seminole, Florida,
has been a volunteer with the Eddie
Eagle program for roughly ten years.
During his tenure, he has reached
over 200 children a year in his Florida
community. He strives to get to as many
schools, events, or other gatherings as
he possibly can in order to get Eddie’s
life-saving message out there to the
public.
“It’s a fantastic program,” said Gluck.
“We thank the Friends of NRA for
all they do in order for us to receive
the materials at no cost. I love the
program.”
Each November, Gluck and a few
colleagues discuss safety topics with
children in the community as a part of
the Great American Teach-In. Gluck
makes sure every child walks away
from the event remembering Eddie
Eagle’s message. In addition to this
event, Gluck also makes presentations
for various groups in the community,
including the local Boy Scouts group
and the local PTA for Safety Day.
Having taught many children Eddie’s
message over the years, Gluck is still
driven by all of the positive feedback he
receives. One of his fondest memories
was a phone call from a mother of a
local boy scout he had taught. The
boy’s mother informed Gluck that her
son had recently found an unattended
firearm and remembered what to
do. The scout recited Eddie’s safety
message perfectly: If you see a gun,
Stop! Don’t Touch. Leave the Area.
Tell an Adult. With stories like that, it’s easy for Gluck to stay active and
reach as many local children as possible.
The Eddie Eagle Program greatly
appreciates volunteers like Mr. Gluck
for all his dedication and hard work he
puts into getting Eddie’s message out
to the community. With his help and
the help of many others thousands of
children will be reached with Eddie’s
life-saving message.