Halloween is this month, and while we’ve done some Halloween safety-themed articles in our newsletter in the past, we think it’s always worth revisiting. This year, however, we want to focus on what parents and children can do to protect themselves from pedestrian accidents while out trick-or- treating and what drivers can do to help prevent these accidents. SAFETY TIPS FOR PEDESTRIANS • Always use sidewalks if they’re available. If there are no sidewalks in the area where your family trick-or-treats, walk as far to the side of the road as you can, facing traffic. • Cross only at street corners, with traffic signals, or in crosswalks. It’s extremely difficult for drivers to see when children dart in front of their cars in the middle of the road — especially in the dark. • Always make eye contact with a driver before crossing the street. This is still possible in the dark with street lights and a car’s headlights on, and it allows you to ensure the driver sees you before crossing. • Use reflective tape or glow sticks on children’s costumes. This will also help drivers see them should they accidentally wander into the street or cross without properly looking both ways. October is a busy month in Kansas City, with events for families and friends alike nearly every weekend! We don’t want you to miss a beat, so let’s jump into what’s going on this month! GLOWILD: AROUND THE WORLD The GloWild lantern festival is back, and this year, the theme is Around the World. Presented in collaboration with Zigong Lantern Group, the Kansas City Zoo will be filled with numerous giant steel lanterns (some over 50 feet tall!) in the shapes of various animals and wildlife sceneries. Over 150 artists used nearly 75 tons of steel, plus more than 940,000 feet of silk, to create these glowing works of art. Some exhibits are even interactive! GloWild will run until Dec. 30, and you can visit KansasCityZoo.org/ glowild to buy tickets or learn more! 2023 GRAVEYARD 5K The sixth annual “not-so-spooky” Graveyard 5K is on Saturday, Oct. 28! The race takes place entirely within the Elmwood Cemetery, and all proceeds go toward the maintenance of the cemetery. KANSAS CITY’S BEST OCTOBER EVENTS Stay Spooky and Safe HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS FOR PEDESTRIAN
Sometimes, dogs are more than just a man’s best friend — they are heroes. When the Israel Defense Forces brought Chris Willingham, a Marine specializing in training military dogs, a small German shepherd and Belgian Malinois mix puppy in 2006, he knew she was special. THE INCREDIBLE STORY OF LUCCA, THE EXPLOSIVE-DETECTING DOG WHO SAVED LIVES Willingham named her Lucca, and in 2008, the pair deployed for their first tour in Iraq, where they spent countless hours together searching for improvised explosive devices or IEDs. When Lucca smelled a bomb, she’d lie down and wait for Willingham, an action they repeated so many times that the pair seemed to read each other’s minds. In fact, the duo became so successful that when platoons suspected they were heading into especially dangerous territory, they requested the team by name. After returning from their second tour in Iraq, Willingham received orders that the Marines were restationing him at the Marine Security Guard School. But before he had to leave, he was allowed to choose a new handler for Lucca. Willingham chose Corporal Juan Rodriguez, whom he sensed was the perfect match for Lucca. And he was right. Lucca and Rodriguez picked up where she and Willingham left off until one day in 2012. The pair were four hours into their patrol in southern Afghanistan when Lucca located her second IED of the day. However, when she moved closer to the device to lie down — it exploded. Rodriguez quickly ran to Lucca, where he discovered she had lost one of her front paws in the explosion. He applied first aid, a tourniquet, and called for a medevac, never leaving her side. She had suffered burns to her neck and torso, and doctors had to amputate her front left leg.
However, in less than a month, Lucca was back to running around with the same spirit as before her injury but was now retired from her day job. She was reunited with Willingham and lived the rest of her days with him and his family peacefully until her passing in 2018. Lucca led more than 400 patrols during three combat tours in her career. She found 40 confirmed insurgents and countless explosives, and she never had a single human casualty during her six years of service.
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