SAFTI FIRST® Delivers Holiday Cheer to Children’s Hospital

ByDiana S
| December 7, 2011
| SAN FRANCISCO

SAFTI FIRST® Delivers Joy to Local Children’s Hospital

SAFTI FIRST® Delivers Holiday Cheer to Children’s Hospital

Media Contact:
Diana San Diego
888.653.3333 ext. 756
dianas@safti.com

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

SAFTI FIRST® DELIVERS HOLIDAY CHEER TO LOCAL CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL
Custom Nintendo Wii, Apple iPads, Red Rider Wagons and gifts eliminate feelings of
isolation and fear by offering hours of fun and entertainment.

SAN FRANCISCO (December 7, 2011) –  SAFTI FIRST®, leading USA-manufacturer of fire rated glazing and framing and a division of O’Keeffe’s Incorporated, will play Santa Claus to patients big and small at the Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera, CA on Friday, December 16, 2011, from 10 am to 4 pm.  Spearheaded by the company’s manufacturing facility in Merced, CA, the holiday giveaway includes a custom Nintendo Wii Fun CenterTM mobile entertainment unit, 6 Apple iPads and 20 Red Rider Wagons to the hospital.  In addition, SAFTI FIRST®/O’Keeffe’s Inc. employees will also be handing out holiday gifts directly to the children who are currently receiving care in the hospital. Called the “Child Life Event,” the day also includes a special luncheon with the kids and hospital staff in the Main Starlight Conference Room.

“We always want to do something for the kids during the holidays,” says Ron Drew, General Manager of SAFTI FIRST®/O’Keeffe’s Inc.  “We chose the Children’s Hospital because they do this for their patients year-round.”

The custom Fun CenterTM mobile entertainment units contain a Sharp AQUOSTM LCD television, DVD player, and Nintendo Wii™ gaming system specially customized for hospital use.  It includes a library of 22 pre-loaded games and dozens DVDs to start and will continually be updated with new games and movies as long as the Fun CenterTM  is in use.  The sponsorship also includes administration, repair and maintenance for life.  Whether hospitalized children are nervously awaiting surgery, sitting restlessly during a long treatment, or feeling lonely in their hospital room, Fun CentersTM help them cope by providing endless hours of fun and distraction.

Aside from providing fun and entertainment, the iPads will also be used as an interactive tool that will help the nurses and hospital staff explain the treatment or procedure that the kids are receiving, eliminating the “fear of the unknown.” The Red Rider wagons will be used to tow the kids and their IVs around the hospital, giving them a change of scenery aside from their hospital rooms.

“All of us here have either had someone or know someone who has been treated at this hospital,” says Ron.  “It’s definitely close to home, making the experience of giving back all the more special.”

About SAFTI FIRST®, a division of O’Keeffe’s Inc.

Founded in 1981, SAFTI FIRST® Fire Rated Glazing Solutions (www.safti.com) has been serving the architectural and building communities and is the recognized leader in manufacturing fire rated glass and framing for over 30 years.  As the premier source for fire-rated glazing, SAFTI FIRST® was the first to introduce transparent fire rated walls to the U.S. market. To accommodate the growing business, SAFTI FIRST®/O’Keeffe’s Inc. moved the manufacturing operation in 1997 from San Francisco to a 5-acre state-of-the-art facility in Merced.  Since then, the Merced facility has provided skilled job opportunities to local residents.   In 2008, SAFTI FIRST®/O’Keeffe’s Inc. was recognized as “Mid-size Employer of the Year” and continues to play an active role in the local community. For more information, call 888.653.3333.

About Children’s Hospital Central California

Children’s Hospital Central California in Madera, CA is a not-for-profit, state-of-the-art children’s hospital on a 50-acre campus with a medical staff of more than 525 physicians providing high quality, comprehensive healthcare services to children, regardless of their ability to pay.   The hospital performs more than 11,000 pediatric surgeries a year and the pediatric and neonatal intensive care units have some of the lowest mortality rates in the country while treating some of the sickest kids. The Cancer Center is a member of the nationally-recognized Children’s Oncology Group, and sees more than 100 new cases a year. The Willson Heart Center has pioneered pediatric heart care for over 50 years.

Media interested in photos, interviews or other information should contact Diana San Diego at 888.653.3333 ext. 756 or dianas@safti.com.  Day-of-event contact is Ron Drew – 415.297.4552 (cell)

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