Masonic Lodge to host children’s identification program
The Cape Coral Masonic Lodge is hosting a children’s identification program
Saturday, Jan. 29, from 10 a.m. until 3 p.m., to provide parents with the opportunity to have all the proper tools they need in case their child goes missing.
Cape Coral Masonic Lodge member Dr. Robert DeFinis said the children’s identification program is done statewide through the Masons, free of charge for the community.
“Every town has a program like this,” he said. “It is something that we do to help support the community and we are proud of it.”
DeFinis said the program is designed so parents have the correct identification of their children on hand in case an emergency arises. The program is intended to equip the parents with a picture of their child, the child’s fingerprints and a child ID card that is issued by the Drivers License Bureau.
All the information will be compiled on a CD for parents so they have their child’s information on file.
“They will have it on file and they don’t have to hunt around for a class picture,” he said because “minutes are valuable at that point.”
DeFines said the photograph, fingerprints and identification cards helps in providing law enforcement and other people involved with another tool to help identify children and locate them.
“It is a public service to the community,” he said, adding that everything they hand out during the event is free to the community.
The event will feature many activities for children, which will include bounce houses, clowns and balloons, free games and prizes for kids who are 12 years old and younger, along with free hot dogs, drinks and candy.
This is the fourth year the Cape Coral Masonic Lodge has hosted the event, which DeFinis said usually attracts a good turnout from the community.
The Child Identification Program helps parents and guardians obtain vital information faster to an emergency responder. Nearly 800,000 children are reported missing each year within the United States, some of them found but many are not. The number of children who are abducted each year is increasing and under-reported, according to officials.
The Masonic Children’s Identification Program will be held at the Cape Coral Masonic Lodge, which is located at 244 Santa Barbara Blvd.